ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Attorney-General what contribution he is making to Government action to combat human trafficking; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) vigorously prosecutes defendants who have been charged with human trafficking offences. In addition, the CPS plays an important role in preventing harm from trafficking from reaching the UK, through prosecutors working with source countries to improve the ability of overseas investigators and prosecutors in case building and prosecution to disrupt human trafficking at source. The CPS is also working with source countries to improve international co-operation to assist in the provision of information and evidence to support prosecutions in the UK. The CPS published a new policy statement on the prosecution of cases of human trafficking on 2 June 2011 that explains the prosecution process to those who support victims of trafficking.
	I am also a member of the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking which takes a strategic interest in human trafficking issues across Government.

Rape: Prosecutions

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  how many serial rape offenders were convicted in cases where the prosecution used records from the National DNA Database in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many convictions for offences involving multiple rapes were secured where the prosecution used DNA evidence in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many convictions for rape were secured where the prosecution used records from the National DNA Database in each of the last five years.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of the number of serial or multiple rape offenders prosecuted, nor does it record the number of these cases where National DNA Database or DNA evidence was used.
	This information is held on individual case files and could be retrieved only by locating and examining every relevant file in each CPS office in England and Wales which would incur a disproportionate cost.
	Official statistics in respect of the volume and percentage of rape convictions are held by the Ministry of Justice.

JUSTICE

Alcoholic Drinks: Rehabilitation

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people subject to an alcohol treatment requirement were registered as (a) homeless or (b) of no fixed address in the last five years for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The following table presents, for the last five financial years, the number and percentage of offenders subject to an alcohol treatment requirement who were recorded as being of no fixed abode or in transient accommodation.
	This information is recorded within the Offender Assessment System (OASys). The data are drawn from administrative IT systems and are subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale assessment and recording system.
	
		
			   Currently of no fixed abode or in transient accommodation 
			 Financial year Number of  assessments with ATR recorded Number Percentage 
			 2006-07 2,803 512 18.3 
			 2007-08 4,920 845 17.2 
			 2008-09 8,037 1,428 17.8 
			 2009-10 12,063 1,923 15.9 
			 2010-11 12,779 1,685 13.2

Alcoholic Drinks: Rehabilitation

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost to the public purse was of an alcohol treatment requirement in the latest period for which figures are available; how many such requirements were in force on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such requirements made in respect of persons of each (a) sex and (b) age group were (i) made, (ii) completed in full and (iii) breached by non-compliance in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: The alcohol treatment requirement (ATR) of a community order or suspended sentence order is available to courts for offenders who are dependent on alcohol and whose dependency requires and is susceptible to treatment. Treatment costs are generally funded by primary care trusts (PCTs) in England and Substance Misuse Area Planning Boards in Wales and the costs of supporting delivery of the requirement are funded by NOMS through Probation Trusts.
	Significant local variations in commissioning practice and costs of treatment modalities have made it difficult to establish the average cost of treatment delivered through an ATR.
	Detailed work to cost the services funded by NOMS estimates the average direct cost of supporting delivery of an ATR at £373 per completion. This estimate is subject to a number of assumptions which are detailed in published information that has been placed in both Libraries.
	The most recent analysis of the caseload found that on 31 December 2010 there were 5,391 community orders with an ATR and 2,733 suspended sentence orders with an ATR in force.
	The following table shows the number of ATR commencements, successful completions, and revocations for non-compliance following breach proceedings broken down by age and gender in each of the last three years for which full information is available(1). Data on the number of applications made for a summons or warrant to return the offender to court for breach is not collected centrally by type of requirement.
	72% of offenders successfully completed ATRs in 2009-10(2). This Government will create greater flexibility for the provision of ATRs to ensure that people who meet the threshold receive the treatment and rehabilitation they need to tackle their substance misuse.
	(1) These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
	(2) Ministry of Justice (2011) National Offender Management Service Annual Report 2009-10: Management Information Addendum. London:
	
		
			 Number of alcohol treatment requirements (ATRs) commenced, successfully completed and revoked for failure to comply 2008-10 
			   Male 
			   18-20 21-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ All 
			 2008          
			 Community Order Commencements 402 555 597 1,193 849 239 43 3,878 
			  Completions 104 157 150 339 239 84 13 1,086 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 4 10 12 14 7 2 0 49 
			 Suspended sentence order Commencements 188 245 289 492 305 93 26 1,638 
			  Completions 42 97 94 146 115 33 7 534 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 3 10 3 13 2 2 0 33 
			 2009          
			 Community order Commencements 512 810 913 1,510 1,210 387 74 5,416 
			  Completions 196 308 361 710 552 161 28 2,316 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 14 17 16 24 21 5 1 98 
			 Suspended sentence order Commencements 232 388 420 697 496 142 24 2,399 
			  Completions 80 150 154 331 204 75 11 1,005 
			  Revoked (Failure to comply) 8 7 12 16 3 1 1 48 
			 2010          
			 Community order Commencements 364 667 824 1,524 1,140 351 59 4,929 
			  Completions 179 360 430 836 682 214 49 2,750 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 13 26 23 30 26 7 2 127 
			 Suspended sentence order Commencements 142 369 401 647 500 137 34 2,230 
			  Completions 77 197 235 388 275 98 13 1,283 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 7 7 9 11 8 0 0 42 
		
	
	
		
			   Female 
			   18-20 21-24 25-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+ All Total 
			 2008           
			 Community order Commencements 94 90 121 229 197 46 8 785 4,663 
			  Completions 27 22 39 80 78 17 0 263 1,349 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 4 1 2 4 4 1 0 16 65 
			 Suspended sentence order Commencements 43 20 42 56 63 16 3 243 1,881 
			  Completions 12 12 10 25 25 4 3 91 625 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 36 
			 2009           
			 Community order Commencements 123 144 143 331 264 55 9 1,069 6,485 
			  Completions 44 53 62 131 128 28 5 451 2,767 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 3 2 5 11 3 1 0 25 123 
			 Suspended sentence order Commencements 34 56 56 104 87 25 2 364 2,763 
			  Completions 14 18 18 47 63 13 1 174 1,179 
		
	
	
		
			  Revoked (Failure to comply) 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 6 54 
			 2010           
			 Community order Commencements 88 111 133 301 303 73 11 1,020 5,949 
			  Completions 49 57 91 185 182 42 1 607 3,357 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 4 4 9 8 3 1 1 30 157 
			            
			 Suspended sentence order Commencements 34 45 45 104 102 25 4 359 2,589 
			  Completions 23 27 24 56 53 10 3 196 1,479 
			  Revoked (failure to comply) 2 3 I 2 0 1 0 9 51

Bail

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was collected from people who breached their bail conditions where a surety was given in order for bail to be granted in the most recent year for which information is available.

Crispin Blunt: During financial year April 2010 to March 2011, there were a total of 45 breaches of bail conditions (securities only) amounting to forfeiture of £179,560.86. There were no forfeitures of bail conditions where surety was given.
	This was recovered in full from bail deposits (lodged) paid directly into the HMCTS Bail Deposit bank account.

Bail

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people currently released on bail in (a) England, (b) the west midlands and (c) Dudley borough.
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people bailed between 19 May 2011 and 5 July 2011 in (a) England, (b) Dudley borough and (c) the west midlands.

Crispin Blunt: The latest data on bail published by the Ministry of Justice are available up to December 2010. A quarterly update of the main findings up to March 2011 will be published on 25 August 2011.
	The Court Proceedings Database held by the Ministry of Justice holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. It also holds information on whether those defendants were remanded in custody or granted bail during proceedings at magistrates courts and the Crown court. It is not possible to determine from these data how many defendants are released on bail at any particular point in time.

Birmingham Prison: Redundancy

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to enable those who lose their jobs at HMP Birmingham to access alternative vacancies at HMP Birmingham.

Crispin Blunt: Staff at HMP Birmingham are subject to TUPE transfer to the new provider, G4S, with effect from 1 October 2011. Discussions with recognised trades unions on the detail of this transfer are on-going. For a time-limited period ahead of the transfer date, staff at HMP Birmingham are entitled to apply for any advertised vacancy in other public sector prisons or civil service locations. G4S is also discussing redeployment opportunities within G4S with staff and trades unions.

Courts: Manpower

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many court enforcement officers were employed by HM Courts Service in each year since 2005.

Jonathan Djanogly: The number of court enforcement officers employed in HM Courts Service in at the start of each financial year since 2005 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
			 2005 561 
			 2006 575 
			 2007 541 
			 2008 492 
			 2009 497 
			 2010 453 
			 2011 396

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2011, Official Report, column 1018W, on departmental carbon emissions, what the installed kilowatt capacity will be of the two solar photovoltaic installations at Leeds Combined Court Centre and Aberystwyth Law Courts.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice installed a solar photovoltaic installation at Leeds Combined Court Centre in 2010. The installed kilowatt capacity of the installation is 15.12 kW with a declared net capacity for the purposes of the feed in tariff of 13.5 kW. Between 1 June 2010 and 30 May 2011 Leeds Combined Courthouse has generated 9.5 MW of electricity, for onsite consumption, from its solar photovoltaic array.
	The project situated in a city centre location, involved placing free standing self cleaning solar panels on a recently refurbished roof making use of areas not affected by shade.
	The building at Y Lanfa, which is to become the new Aberystwyth Law Courts, is currently undergoing a period of extensive refurbishment. Because of the roof lights and dormer windows, we are unable to use solar capture but in order to minimise energy consumption, in conjunction with the preferred contractor, alternative sustainable options are being considered.

Departmental Dismissal

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in his Department were dismissed for under-performance as a result of the procedures arising from his Department's staff appraisal system in each of the last three years.

Kenneth Clarke: The number of Ministry of Justice officials who have been dismissed for under-performance are as follows: 86 officials in financial year 2008-09; 97 officials in financial year 2009-10 and 59 officials in financial year 2010-11.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many regulations his Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses;
	(2)  how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department has (a) introduced and (b) removed since 1 September 2010; what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was; and what regulations have been excluded from the one-in, one-out system because they address (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010;
	(3)  how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department (a) introduced and (b) removed in the six months prior to 1 September 2010; and what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was.

Jonathan Djanogly: In the six months prior to 1 September 2010 my Department neither introduced nor removed any regulations with regulatory impact.
	In the six months after 1 September my Department introduced one regulatory measure with regulatory impact that imposes costs on business: The Legal Services Act 2007 (Levy) (No.2) Rules 2010.
	The running costs of the Legal Services Board for 2010-11 are around £4.7 million. These costs are apportioned to approved regulators in accordance with the number of authorised persons they regulate. The funding of these costs is entirely at the discretion of the approved regulators, whether they treat it as a fixed overhead or recharge it to members.
	The Office for Legal Complaints did not become operational until October 2010, annual costs are estimated to be £19.9 million.
	The Ministry of Justice had no regulatory measures within the scope of the one-in, one-out regulatory management system.

Departmental Responsibilities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party has been refused by (a) a Minister in his Department directly and (b) his Department on behalf of a Minister since May 2010.

Kenneth Clarke: Ministers in the Ministry of Justice endeavour to accommodate requests to meet with hon. Members of the House wherever possible and appropriate. The Ministry of Justice does not centrally record instances where meeting requests have been declined and the work involved in searching records to attempt to assemble this information would exceed the cost limit for answering PQs.

Drug Interventions Programme

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect of the Drug Interventions Programme on re-offending rates.

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has responsibility for the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP).
	The most recently published research from 2007 showed that the level of proven offending of a selected cohort (of 7,727 individuals) identified through DIP declined by 26% when comparing the six months prior to contact with the six months following DIP contact.
	More recent information looks at individuals entering the DIP following a positive drug test in police custody. Those testing positive for the Specified Class A drugs (heroin and or cocaine/crack) between January and March 2009 committed on average 1.9 offences during the 12 months following their drug test. This level of offending was 11% lower than for the equivalent group in 2008 (who committed 2.14 offences on average). The majority of those entering DIP do so following a positive drug test result.

European Court of Human Rights: Reform

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects the Government to outline its proposals for reform of the European Court of Human Rights as part of the UK's chairmanship agenda for the Council of Europe.

Kenneth Clarke: The Government have stated its intention to make reform of the ECtHR a priority for the UK Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which it will assume in November 2011. In particular, as I stated at the Izmir Conference on the future of the ECtHR, we need to strengthen the principle of subsidiarity, recognising that States are primarily responsible for implementing the Convention, and to find better ways for the Court to focus quickly, efficiently and transparently on the important cases that require its attention. The Government will set out its full proposals for the Chairmanship in due course.

Harassment: Prosecutions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people who breached an injunction under Section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were (a) proceeded against and (b) not proceeded against in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11;
	(2)  how many people proceeded against for breach of an injunction under Section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 were (a) found guilty and (b) found not guilty in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; and what the subsequent outcomes were for those offenders found guilty;
	(3)  how many people proceeded against under Section 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 where a crime was recorded and subsequently proceeded with in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11;
	(4)  how many people proceeded against under Section 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 where a crime was recorded and subsequently not proceeded with in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11;
	(5)  how many people proceeded against under Section 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 where a crime was recorded were (a) found guilty and (b) found not guilty in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; and what the subsequent outcomes were of those offenders found guilty.

Crispin Blunt: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts, acquitted, found guilty and sentenced at all courts, by result, for offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in England and Wales for 2009 and 2010 can be viewed in the table.
	Police recorded crime statistics come within the remit of The Home Office. Offences recorded under the Protection of Harassment Act 1997 are included within their offence classification of ‘Harassment’ and cannot be separately identified from other offences recorded within that classification. It is therefore not possible to identify those Section 4 offences which are recorded and subsequently not proceeded with.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring, 2011.
	
		
			 Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts, acquitted, found guilty and sentenced at all courts, by result, for offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2009 and 2010 (1,2) 
			  2009 
			 Statute     
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 Proceeded against Acquitted (3) Found guilty Sentenced (4) 
			 Section 3 65 1 27 27 
			 Section 4 1,519 146 787 780 
		
	
	
		
			  2009 
			 Statute Sentence breakdown 
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 Absolute discharge Conditional discharge Fine Community sentence Suspended sentence Immediate custody Otherwise dealt with (5) 
			 Section 3 — 7 3 7 5 4 1 
			 Section 4 2 31 15 267 194 170 101 
		
	
	
		
			  2010 
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 Proceeded against Acquitted (3) Found guilty Sentenced (4) 
			 Section 3 68 4 29 29 
			 Section 4 1,465 147 797 796 
		
	
	
		
			  2010 
			 Statute Sentence breakdown 
			 Protection from Harassment Act 1997 Absolute discharge Conditional discharge Fine Community sentence Suspended sentence Immediate custody Otherwise dealt with (5) 
			 Section 3 — 2 7 12 1 6 1 
			 Section 4 — 28 12 294 212 149 101 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Acquitted includes: Discharged and Dismissed at magistrates courts and Acquitted at the Crown Court. (4) The found guilty and sentenced columns may be lower than those proceeded against as, excluding those acquitted, it may be the case that a defendant found guilty, and committed for sentence at the Crown court, may be sentenced in the following year or found guilty of a different offence than that proceeded against. (5) The category Otherwise Dealt With (ODW) includes: one day in police cells; disqualification order; restraining order; confiscation order; travel restriction order; disqualification from driving; recommendation for deportation; and other miscellaneous disposals. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what responsibility he has for contributing to Government action against human trafficking; and what recent action he has taken in this regard.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice shares responsibility with the Home Office for supporting adult victims of human trafficking.
	We have contributed to the forthcoming Government strategy on human trafficking, which places particular emphasis on improving the care offered to victims of this abhorrent crime. Our commitment to this is demonstrated by the fact that funding to support adult victims of trafficking has been secured and set at £2 million a year for the next two years, funded equally between the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.
	We have also introduced a new model for supporting adult victims of trafficking, whereby a central contractor has responsibility for overseeing and co-ordinating the provision of care, contracting with specialist providers as appropriate. This new model, which came into operation on 1 July, will make it easier to provide tailored support to victims, taking account of their particular needs. It will also be easier to track victims through the system and monitor the quality of service provided.

Prison Service: Trade Unions

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff of HM Prison Service were entitled to work (a) full-time as trade union representatives and (b) part-time on trade union activities in the latest period for which figures are available; how many such staff received a salary greater than £25,900 per year; and what the total cost to the public purse was of employing such staff on such duties.

Crispin Blunt: As at 1 July 2011, there are 17 employees of the National Offender Management Service (which includes HM Prison Service) that are entitled to work full-time as trade union representatives, of which 16 receive a salary of greater than £25,900. The total cost of employing these individuals is estimated to be £534,436.
	Facility agreements between the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and each union outline the maximum hours to be made available for staff across NOMS in order to carry out their trade union duties and activities.
	The current facility agreement with the Prison Officers Association provides paid facilities for up to eight hours each week for the Chair and Secretary of all local branches.
	For the Public and Commercial Services Union, there are 14 employees who are entitled to work part-time on trade union activities for three days a week. There are also other local representatives who are entitled to work part-time on union duties on an ad hoc basis of a number of days a year.
	Facility agreements with other unions allow up to 25 days per year for members of union executive committees.
	All of these agreements have been recently reviewed and are being renegotiated with trade unions. This work will reduce the total spend on facility time to 0.2% of the NOMS paybill in line with Cabinet Office guidelines and will reduce the number of full-time representatives to zero. These changes will take effect by the end of 2011.

Prisons: Employment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a private company bidding for unpaid work will be required to honour existing trade union recognition agreements.

Crispin Blunt: Regulation 6 of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 shall apply to any transfer of staff to a private company who is successful in bidding for work previously delivered by another provider.

Prisons: Employment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether private sector providers will be required to provide placements for (a) women, (b) people with disabilities and (c) individuals from ethnic minorities in respect of bidding for unpaid work.

Crispin Blunt: Successful bidders from both the private sector and probation trusts will be required to demonstrate that their proposed operating models are able to meet the particular needs of (a) women, (b) people with disabilities and (c) individuals from ethnic minorities who are sentenced to unpaid work.
	The Specification and Community Payback Operating Manual contain mandatory actions and guidance in relation to the provision of Community Payback for women offenders, people with disabilities and individuals from ethnic minorities.

Prisons: Employment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assistance the National Offender Management Service has provided to private sector providers in respect of bidding for unpaid work.

Crispin Blunt: The competitions for Community Payback (unpaid work) are being run under Public Contracts Regulations 2006. As such care is taken to ensure that all bidders are treated fairly. Any material advice or information from the Ministry of Justice/NOMS to assist bidders understanding and response is published via the Emptoris Electronic Procurement Sourcing System.

Public Order Offences: Prosecutions

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were prosecuted for offences of insulting words or behaviour under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in each year since 2006.

Crispin Blunt: Persons proceeded against at the magistrates courts for offences under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in England and Wales, 2006 to 2010 can be viewed in the following table.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring, 2012.
	
		
			 Persons proceeded against at the magistrates courts for offences under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 (1) , England and Wales, 2006-10 (2,3) 
			 Statute 2006 2007 2008 (4) 2009 2010 
			 Public Order Act 1986, section 5 29,211 30,932 28,177 26,500 24,248 
			 (1) Offences include: Use threatening words/behaviour likely to cause harassment/alarm/distress Racially aggravated harassment—writing Religiously aggravated harassment/alarm/distress—words Racially/religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress—words (2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Unpaid Fines

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the monetary value of outstanding fines for criminal offences imposed by courts in England and Wales.

Jonathan Djanogly: As at the end of May 2011 the balance outstanding for financial penalties was £609,516,266.
	This amount includes fines imposed in the magistrates and Crown courts, prosecutor costs, compensation orders, victims surcharge and the value of unpaid fixed penalty notices and penalty notices which are transferred to Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service for enforcement. The amount outstanding also includes the balance of accounts which are being paid by agreed payment plans.

Young Offenders: Death

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young people have died while under supervision in the community by youth offending teams in (a) 2011 to date and (b) each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The number of deaths in the community during the period 2006 to 2011 are provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Deaths in England and Wales 
			 2006 and 2007 32 
			 2008(1) 32 
			 2009 32 
			 2010 23 
			 2011 (to 31 May) 13 
			 (1) The figure for 2008 includes one individual who died over the age of 19 but had continued to be under the supervision of a youth offending team. 
		
	
	These figures relate to incidents reported to the YJB—Youth Justice Board—from youth offending teams (YOTs) across England and Wales where a young person has died in the community while under the supervision of a YOT.
	We have sought information from the Office for National Statistics about the number of deaths of young people aged 10 to 18 in the general population in England and Wales over the same period. As a rough measure these figures indicate that the percentage of deaths of young people under YOT supervision as a proportion of the numbers of young people in the youth justice system and the number of deaths of 10-18 year olds as a proportion of the general 10-18 population are broadly similar.
	However, the information provided by the ONS should be treated with caution and is provided by way of context only. It does not provide an exact comparison.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has issued any advice to (a) cultural organisations (b) cultural venues, (c) media organisations, (d) sport organisations and (e) sport venues on the generation of low-carbon energy on their estates.

John Penrose: This Department has not issued any advice to cultural organisations, cultural venues, media organisations, sports organisations and sports venues on the generation of low-carbon energy on their estates.

Arts: Fund Raising

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he plans to take to increase the ability of arts organisations with no previous experience of fundraising to generate such funding.

Edward Vaizey: This Department is working in close partnership with Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund to boost fundraising skills across the culture sector. I welcome the Arts Council's announcement on 29 June of the Catalyst Arts fund, which will include £7 million to support arts organisations with less experience to build their fundraising capacity. Awards ranging from £15,000 - £25,000 will provide individual organisations, or those working together, with the tools and skills to begin to raise, or increase, their private income.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the timetable for the roll-out of broadband in rural areas.

Edward Vaizey: The Government remain committed to stimulating commercial investment to provide the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.

Broadband: Rural Areas

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the capacity of unused television spectrum devices to (a) provide broadband access to rural areas and (b) offload broadband demand in urban areas.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 12 July 2011
	I have not made an assessment as this is a matter for Ofcom as the independent spectrum regulator. There are trials of devices that the hon. Member refers to, known as white space devices, which are under way to see if they can safely coexist with existing users. One recently launched in Cambridge. But it would be difficult for Ofcom to make any meaningful assessment of the use of white spaces in assisting with existing broadband coverage or capacity until the results of those trials become known.

Broadband: Satellite Communications

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the potential for satellite broadband technology to meet demand for high-speed internet access;
	(2)  what contribution he expects satellite broadband technology to make to the deployment of super-fast broadband.

Edward Vaizey: No assessment has been made. The Government's objective of having the best superfast broadband network in Europe, with superfast broadband to 90% of all UK premises, and standard broadband to virtually every community in the UK, would be delivered through a mixed technology solution including satellite.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department plans to assess the feasibility of low-carbon energy generation on its estate.

John Penrose: This Department has no current plans to assess the feasibility of low-carbon energy generation on its estate.

Media Ownership

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the contribution of the Attorney-General of 7 July 2011, Official Report, column 1542, what progress he has made on his considerations of News Corporation's proposed acquisition of BSkyB.

Jeremy Hunt: holding answer 12 July 2011
	On 25 January 2011, Official Report, columns 3-4WS, I announced that I was minded to refer News Corporation's proposed merger with BSkyB to the Competition Commission in the absence of any specific undertakings in lieu. News Corporation duly offered undertakings on which I have consulted. On Monday, News Corporation withdrew those undertakings and as a result I have decided to refer the proposed merger to the Competition Commission.

Olympic Games 2012: Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether the plans for the London 2012 Olympics include the generation of low-carbon energy at any events or venues.

Hugh Robertson: The Games-time energy mix will come from mains electricity; on-site temporary power generation; and local low carbon energy sources, including photovoltaics (PVs), and small scale wind turbines.
	The venues on the Olympic Park have been designed to be energy efficient in operation, maximising use of natural ventilation and lighting. The Park Energy Centre will provide low carbon cooling, heating and power in Games-time, and over the longer term post-Games, from biomass boilers and a combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) plant which can be converted to use lower and zero carbon fuels as these technologies develop.

Tourism: Coastal Areas

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to support the seaside tourism industry.

John Penrose: The seaside remains an important part of the visitor economy, accounting for some 24 million domestic overnight trips and almost £4.6 billion in overnight visitor spend across the UK in 2010. The VisitEngland website gives wide coverage to the coast, and the seaside also features in themed promotions through print and electronic media and related marketing activity. Government's tourism strategy includes the aim of growing the value of the domestic tourism market, and coastal destinations and attractions can contribute significantly to this objective. The British Resorts and Destinations Association and other industry members have been working with VisitEngland to develop a Coastal Resorts Action Plan. This will focus on transforming perceptions of product and experience; coastal resort infrastructure; co-ordinated activities and events to grow tourism value; and building better intelligence and data.

Tourism: North-East

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to promote tourism in the north-east.

John Penrose: I had the opportunity to visit the north-east in June, during which I held meetings with local industry representatives to discuss the opportunities for tourism growth and development.
	Over the next four years VisitBritain will be running the “You're Invited” programme, which will capitalise on the international interest in the recent royal wedding, as well as next year's diamond jubilee and Olympic and Paralympic games, and showcase Britain to the world. The programme aims to attract four million extra visitors, spending £2 billion in the UK economy, which will support businesses, jobs and growth. The programme is backed by a £100 million marketing fund, funded by the public and private sector.
	VisitEngland is working closely with local areas and destinations, in line with Government's localism agenda, to grow the value of local tourism economies. This is co-ordinated through the national strategic framework for tourism, which includes an action programme developed in consultation with the tourism sector. VisitEngland is currently working with destinations across the country, including in the north-east, on a campaign to deliver economic growth from the domestic market, and to support employment and job creation.
	‘The time to be in England’ initiative will maximise the impact of the unique events of 2012, including the Queens diamond jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympic games, helping to spread the benefits of the games beyond London and maintain a legacy of domestic tourism growth. The campaign is the subject of a bid to the second round of the regional growth fund.
	Tourism policy seeks to help improve the sector's productivity and competitiveness, in particular, to address the burden of regulation affecting the industry. The Government's Red Tape Challenge focused on the hospitality sector in May, inviting the industry and the public to identify regulations holding back the industry and stifling growth. Alongside this, the Government have set up an industry task force, led by senior industry figures, to identify rules, regulations and inspections impeding the sector, and which might be cut, modified or abolished.
	The Government's plans for promoting the growth of the visitor economy are set out in detail in the paper, “Government Tourism Policy” published in March 2011, and available at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/7896.aspx

PRIME MINISTER

Andrew Coulson

Helen Goodman: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish each document relating to the appointment of Mr Andrew Coulson as Director of Communications at 10 Downing street.

David Cameron: Special advisers are appointed in accordance with the terms of the “Model Contract for Special Advisers and Code of Conduct for Special Advisers”.

Andrew Coulson

Helen Goodman: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  on what subjects Mr Andrew Coulson had access to classified material;
	(2)  whether Mr Andrew Coulson had access to (a) classified and (b) highly classified material relating to (i) defence matters, (ii) operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, (iii) domestic security matters and (iv) other foreign policy matters;
	(3)  what level of security clearance Mr Andrew Coulson had whilst working at Number 10 Downing street; and to what vetting he was subject prior to the issue of such security clearance;
	(4)  whether Mr Andrew Coulson attended any meetings at which classified material relating to (a) defence matters, (b) operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, (c) domestic security matters and (d) foreign policy were discussed.

David Cameron: Special advisers carry out their duties in accordance with the “Model Contract for Special Advisers” and “Code of Conduct for Special Advisers”. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) on 16 June 2010, Official Report, column 423W.

Departmental Correspondence

Luciana Berger: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many emails have been exchanged between officials in his Office and Richard Thaler and since September 2010;
	(2)  how many letters have been exchanged between officials in his Office and Richard Thaler since September 2010;
	(3)  how many meetings have taken place between officials in his Office and Richard Thaler since September 2010.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the list of official meetings by Ministers with external organisations. This list was published for the first time in October 2010 and is published on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the new ministerial code. Officials have meetings and discussions with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to answer the letter sent to him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 12 May 2011 with regard to Ms R Hughes; and if he will cause an investigation to be conducted into the way letters to him from honourable Members are dealt with.

David Cameron: The Minister for Housing and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps), has replied on my behalf to the letter.
	Correspondence received by my Office, including correspondence received from hon. Members, is dealt with in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on handing correspondence. A copy of this is available on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/guidance-handling-government-correspondence

Members: Correspondence

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Bury South of 1 March 2011.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to my letter to him of 17 February 2011 which set out that I do not have a role in this merger.

Media Ownership

Helen Goodman: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether he discussed with Mr Andrew Coulson the allocation of ministerial responsibilities relating to (a) media policy and (b) the proposed acquisition of BSkyB by News Corporation;
	(2)  whether he discussed (a) media policy and (b) matters relating to the proposed acquisition of BSkyB by News Corporation with Mr Andrew Coulson.

David Cameron: Special advisers carry out their duties in accordance with the “Code of Conduct for Special Advisers”.

TRANSPORT

Air Misses

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) collisions and (b) near-misses of aircraft above London there were in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2010.

Theresa Villiers: There were nil collisions and four near-misses above London investigated by the AAIB in 2009. There were nil collisions and two near-misses above London investigated by the AAIB in 2010.

Airports

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2011, Official Report, column 399W, on airports, what proportion of passengers are expected to transfer between flights at any given airport each year for it to be termed a hub airport.

Theresa Villiers: There is no single widely agreed definition of a hub airport. The Department has not sought to provide a precise definition of a hub airport. However, at Heathrow, 38% of terminal passengers in 2009 transferred between flights.

Airports: Retail Trade

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effects on the economic value of the airport travel retail business in the UK of the refusal by certain airlines to allow passengers to take goods purchased at the airport onboard the aircraft in addition to their normal airline hand baggage allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has made no such assessment. The size and amount of cabin or hold baggage that a passenger is permitted to take on board a commercial aircraft is a matter for airlines to decide as private commercial companies.

Aviation: Fuels

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions his Department made in respect of the price of aviation fuel from 2011 to 2030 when making forecasts for air traffic in its 2003 Air Transport White Paper.

Theresa Villiers: The air traffic forecasts underpinning the 2003 Air Transport White Paper were set out in “Air Traffic Forecasts for the United Kingdom” published by the previous Government in 2000. Annex 2 of the report provides details of the assumptions used to produce the forecasts, including the assumed price of aviation fuel.
	A copy of “Air Traffic Forecasts for the United Kingdom” can be found on the DFT website at:
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/air-traffic-forecasts-uk-2000/air-traffic-forecasts-uk-2000.pdf

Cycling: Helmets

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to amend guidance in the Highway Code on the wearing of cycle helmets.

Michael Penning: holding answer 12 July 2011
	No.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of procurement is for the introduction of free-flow charging on the Dartford Crossing.

Michael Penning: Decisions on the procurement of free-flow charging at the Dartford-Thurrock river crossing have yet to be taken, and therefore such costs are still to be determined.

Ports: EU Action

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to implement the European State Port Control Directive.

Michael Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has implemented a risk-based inspection scheme for foreign- registered vessels calling at UK ports from 1 January 2011 when the directive took effect.
	Regulations and supporting documents to transpose provisions of the directive that place duties on the shipping sector have been prepared for consultation with the industry which is expected to begin soon.

Rail Value for Money Review

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the long-term effects of the outcomes of the McNulty review on train lines between Brighton and London.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has received Sir Roy McNulty's final report on the value for money of the railway. The Department will be working closely with the Office of Rail Regulation and the rail industry over the next few months to analyse Sir Roy's recommendations and to agree proposals for the reform of the industry. The Government plan to publish their proposals for the future of the rail industry in November.

Railways: Franchises

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make future bids for rail franchises subject to a demonstrable record of efficiency from prospective bidders.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), addressed this matter in a statement to the House on 19 May 2011, Official Report, columns 520-22, on Sir Roy McNulty's independent study into value for money in the rail industry.
	It was made clear in this statement that as a matter of policy for all future franchise competitions that part of the assessment of bidders' capability at the pre-qualification stage will be evidence of success in collaborative working and driving down costs:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110519/debtext/110519-0002.htm#11051950001296

Shipping: Taxation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution his Department has made to the European Commission's review of the European shipping tonnage tax regime.

Michael Penning: None to date as the Commission has yet to make its proposals known. We await the Commission's proposals with interest.

Congestion Charging

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of traffic congestion charging schemes.

Norman Baker: The Greater London Authority Act 1999 and Transport Act 2000 gave Transport for London (TfL) and the local London authorities the power to operate congestion charge schemes in London.
	The Mayor of London established a congestion charging scheme in 2003. The Mayor is responsible for operational matters and continued assessment of the congestion charging scheme in London.
	A local congestion charging scheme is also operational in Durham.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Ministerial Meetings

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what (a) meetings and (b) other engagements (i) Ministers and (ii) special advisers in his Department have attended which were also attended by (A) representatives, (B) journalists and (C) other employees of (1) News International and its subsidiary organisations including newspapers, (2) News Corporation and its subsidiary organisations and (3) BSkyB since 12 May 2010;
	(2)  what (a) meetings and (b) other engagements (i) Ministers and (ii) special advisers in his Department attended with Mr Andrew Coulson (A) between 12 May 2010 and 21 January 2011 and (B) since 21 January 2011.

Owen Paterson: I refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister's statement to the House today.
	As has been the practice of previous Administrations information relating to internal meetings, discussions and advice is not normally disclosed.

Independent International Commission on Decommissioning

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to the public purse was of the work of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning since its commencement.

Owen Paterson: The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning running costs are shared equally between the British and Irish Governments. The total cost to the British and Irish Governments from inception to closure was £12,215,884 with the British Government contributing £6,107,942.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Support for Women: Developing Countries

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's aid was allocated to supporting women and girls in the developing world in the latest period for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: The Government have put girls and women at the heart of international development. We are supporting girls and women through our 27 country programmes and we have announced £10 million each year core funding to UN Women, making us the second largest donor. Since achieving results for girls and women spans DFID’s entire portfolio, it is not possible to disaggregate a precise figure for aid allocated to supporting girls and women.

Somalia

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will assess the humanitarian situation in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: 2.8 million people—one in three Somalis—are in need of emergency relief. There are around 725,000 refugees in the region. Over 3,000 refugees a day are arriving in camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, and acute child malnutrition among new arrivals is at more than double emergency levels.

Somalia

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is giving to Somalia in relation to the drought in the horn of Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: This year in Somalia we are supporting treatment of acute malnutrition for 100,000 children under five and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, vaccinations to more than 1.3 million people; clean water for 350,000 people; shelter or non food items for 50,000 people; and emergency agricultural or livelihood inputs for 250,000 people. We continue to monitor the situation very closely and are considering what further action is needed.

World Population Day

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department took to mark world population day on 11 July 2011.

Stephen O'Brien: On world population day I spoke at a reception organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health.
	UNFPA are using this year’s population day to launch “7 billion actions” ahead of the world population reaching 7 billion on 31 October. Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of UNFPA will visit DFID next week to discuss the issues.

South Sudan

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to ensure that aid continues to reach South Sudan.

Andrew Mitchell: I opened the DFID office in Juba in November. Our programme will deliver education, health, infrastructure, capacity building and humanitarian support to the people of the Republic of South Sudan. We have committed £90 million a year to South Sudan for the next four years.

Post-conflict Planning: Libya

Mel Stride: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department is undertaking to support post-conflict planning for Libya.

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department is undertaking to support post-conflict planning for Libya.

Andrew Mitchell: Post-conflict planning must be Libyan owned and UN led. The UK has taken steps to support this process by deploying an International Stabilisation Response Team to Benghazi. We stand ready to respond to the needs of the Libyan people working with international partners in a coordinated and effective way.

Palestine

James Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on the provision of development support to the Palestinian Authority.

Alan Duncan: The UK strongly supports the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to develop public institutions and deliver essential services to Palestinian people. I was therefore pleased to sign a Memorandum of Understanding last week. This makes a strong UK commitment to supporting the Palestinian Authority, which is committed to non-violent pursuit of a negotiated two state solution.

Access to Work Programme

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many disabled people are being supported in employment in his Department under its access to work programme.

Alan Duncan: None of our disabled staff members are being supported under the access to work programme within the Department for International Development.
	Ministerial Government Departments are not eligible for access to work funding; all costs of reasonable adjustments to support disabled people are met from DFID's central administration budget.

Departmental Consultants

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether any external consultants have been engaged for his Department's aid reviews; and what the cost was of such consultants.

Andrew Mitchell: The panel of development experts who helped scrutinise the country offers for the bilateral aid review did so without payment as a public service. Two leading experts in international development were appointed as external peer reviewers for the multilateral aid review at a cost of £20,000.
	The humanitarian emergency response review was an independent review chaired by Lord Ashdown who did not receive remuneration for his role. He was supported by an advisory board of 15 experts who did not receive remuneration. The external assistance that involved a cost was limited to a seconded staff member from the Development Assistance Research Associates working on the review 50% of their time at a cost of £52,500; a full-time humanitarian consultant to support the DFID Review Secretariat at a cost of £67,200 and a part-time assistant to Lord Ashdown at a cost of £21,000.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how many regulations his Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses;
	(2)  how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department has (a) introduced and (b) removed since 1 September 2010; what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was; and what regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010;
	(3)  how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department (a) introduced and (b) removed in the six months prior to 1 September 2010; and what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development has not introduced any regulations between 1 March 2010 and 1 March 2011. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), is not responsible for any regulations that are currently in force.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has assessed the effects of implementation of proposed changes on Employment-Related Settlement, tier 5 and overseas domestic workers on medical trainees and practitioners in developing countries; and what recent discussions he has had on this matter with the (a) Secretary of State for the Home Department, (b) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and (c) Secretary of State for Health.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) is aware of the proposed changes on Employment-Related Settlement, tier 5 and overseas domestic workers. The consultation document was published on 9 June and represents an agreed Government approach to reviewing the routes by which migrants can enter the UK to work. DFID is working with other Government Departments to consider the effects of implementation, and is liaising closely with the Department of Health who lead the consultation to assess potential impact on health professionals coming to the UK.

East Africa: Droughts

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of people affected by the drought in East Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: According to UN estimates, around 10 million people in the horn of Africa are currently in need of humanitarian assistance and emergency levels of acute malnutrition are widespread. About half of those in need of assistance are in Ethiopia, 2.8 million are affected in Somalia and 2.5 million in Kenya. This is the most severe food security emergency in the world today.

Forests: Satellite Communications

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department is funding the use of earth observation satellite technology to monitor and tackle deforestation in the Congo Basin.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development is helping tackle deforestation in the Congo Basin through support to the African Development Bank managed Congo Basin Forest Fund (the CBFF) and the Congo Basin Forestry Start-up Fund.
	The Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF) is currently funding one project that is using remote-sensing data from satellite technology to determine the carbon stocks of forests in the Republic of Congo. The project is led by be World Resources Institute (WRI), in partnership with Republic of Congo Government and local institutions.
	DFID established the Congo Basin Forestry Start-up Fund in 2008, before the CBFF became operational. It was originally intended that support to earth observation satellite technology would be included within its portfolio of activities. However this element of the programme has not been implemented.

HIV Infection: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to (a) integrate HIV and TB services and (b) support testing for HIV and screening for TB in countries where HIV and TB are prevalent.

Stephen O'Brien: Scaling up access to HIV and TB diagnosis, treatment, care and support, including early infant diagnosis, within integrated services is listed as one of the UK's strategic priorities in the recently published position paper on HIV: “Towards zero infections”. We will continue to focus on both HIV and TB in countries where they are prevalent, and on strengthening the underlying health systems in order to improve the way health services diagnose and treat illnesses, including TB and TB-HIV co-infection.
	Our multilateral support to the new UNAIDS Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF) will also promote the strengthening of country systems to increase access to antiretroviral therapy and implement collaborative TB/HIV activities, including HIV testing for TB patients and TB screening for people living with HIV.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what responsibility he has for contributing to Government action against human trafficking; and what recent action he has taken in this regard.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID)'s contribution to the Government's action against human trafficking will be set out in the new human trafficking strategy. DFID's most important contribution is our work to tackle the root causes of human trafficking in poor countries such as poverty, lack of economic opportunities, and social exclusion. For example, DFID has one of the largest bilateral programmes on social protection, directly helping very poor people in over 15 developing countries.
	DFID also supports projects which are specifically designed to prevent human trafficking. We support the Malawi Anti-Child Trafficking Project, run by the Salvation Army, which aims to improve knowledge of and access to rights for children in Malawi who have been trafficked or are vulnerable to being trafficked. In Bangladesh we have supported a police reform programme which has recently established a Human Trafficking Investigations Unit. In Uganda, we have supported UNICEF to help identify and support trafficked women and children in the northern Karamoja region. DFID is currently developing a new regional programme which will aim to reduce the numbers of women and girls trafficked in the south Asia region.

Japan: Earthquakes

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to Japan following the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

Alan Duncan: Following the earthquake and tsunami DFID immediately deployed a 59 strong Search and Rescue team at a cost of £889,174. DFID also provided 100 tonnes of bottled water, sourced from Hong Kong, at a cost of £232,443. These responses helped to fill the gaps in humanitarian need that Japan found difficult to meet itself and were specifically requested by Japan.

Malawi: Overseas Aid

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision not to increase direct aid to Malawi on food security for that country's poorest citizens.

Stephen O'Brien: In his announcement of DFID's Bilateral Aid Review to the House on 1 March 2011 the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), indicated his intention to increase UK aid funding to Malawi over the four years to 2014-15.
	Since then we have become increasingly concerned about economic management and governance in Malawi. The Secretary of State has raised these concerns with the Government of Malawi, and concluded that, until there are changes in Government of Malawi policy we can no longer justify the provision of general budget support to the Government of Malawi.
	However, we are determined to continue funding programmes that protect the poor. DFID support has helped improve food security for over seven million people a year by providing them with high yielding maize and legume seeds via the Farm Input Subsidy programme. We are currently considering how best to continue support to improve food security in Malawi.

Malawi: Overseas Aid

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision not to increase direct aid to Malawi on the provision of health-care in that country.

Stephen O'Brien: In his announcement of DFID's Bilateral Aid Review to the House on 1 March 2011 the Secretary of State indicated his intention to increase UK aid funding to Malawi over the four years to 2014-15.
	Since then we have become increasingly concerned about economic management and governance in Malawi. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), has raised these concerns with the Government of Malawi, and concluded that, until there are changes in Government of Malawi policy we can no longer justify the provision of general budget support to the Government of Malawi.
	However, we are determined to continue funding programmes that protect the poor. DFID support to strengthen the health service in Malawi has helped save the lives of 3,200 pregnant women and 40,000 children since 2004. We are currently considering how best to continue support to improve the provision of health-care in Malawi.

Malawi: Overseas Aid

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision not to increase direct aid to Malawi on the production of maize crops in that country.

Stephen O'Brien: In his announcement of DFID's Bilateral Aid Review to the House on 1 March 2011, Official Report, columns 167-169, the Secretary of State for International Development indicated his intention to increase UK aid funding to Malawi over the four years to 2014-15.
	Since then we have become increasingly concerned about economic management and governance in Malawi. The Secretary of State has raised these concerns with the Government of Malawi, and concluded that, until there are changes in Government of Malawi policy we can no longer justify the provision of general budget support to the Government of Malawi.
	However, we are determined to continue funding programmes that protect the poor. DFID support has helped improve food security for over 7 million people a year by providing them with high-yielding maize and legume seeds via the Farm Input Subsidy Programme. We are currently considering how best to continue support to improve the production of maize crops in Malawi.

Malawi: Overseas Aid

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on direct aid to Malawi.

Stephen O'Brien: The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), has had regular contact with the Foreign Secretary in relation to the review of the UK's relationship with Malawi, including the aid programme.

Overseas Aid

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure that aid programmes are directed towards those countries who are in greatest need; and what plans he has for the future of the aid programme to India.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department has recently conducted a full review of bilateral aid. Future bilateral support will be focused on twenty seven countries where the need is greatest and we can make the most impact.
	I have frozen the India programme at current levels (£280 million/year) until 2015. Over the next four years, the India programme will focus more tightly on the poorest states. Our goal will be to help the poorest women and girls get quality schooling, health-care, nutrition and jobs to break the cycle of poverty for the next generation. We will also devote a progressively rising proportion of our programme to promoting pro-poor investment through the private sector.

Somalia: Refugees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to those in the Dadaab refugee camp on the Kenya-Somalia border.

Andrew Mitchell: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports there are now more than 394,000 Somali refugees in Kenya, 90% of them in the Dadaab refugee camps.
	UK, helped to meet the basic relief needs of 20,000 refugees by providing £2 million, to UNHCR during 2010-11. Given the deteriorating situation we are urgently considering increasing our support in 2011.

Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what targets his Department has set for reducing tuberculosis deaths of people with (a) HIV- and (b) non HIV-related tuberculosis.

Stephen O'Brien: As highlighted in “UK aid: Changing lives, delivering results”, the coalition Government are committed to supporting global efforts to halve tuberculosis deaths by 2015, In relation to deaths from TB in people living with HIV, in the coalition Government's recently launched Towards zero infections: The UK's position paper on HIV in the developing world' we committed to contribute to the UNAIDS and Stop TB Partnership's goal of reducing HIV-related TB among people living with HIV by 50% by 2015. We will do this through multilateral and bilateral support to help deliver the Global Plan to Stop Tuberculosis 2011-15.

Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has set to reduce multi-drug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The coalition Government recognises that drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB) pose serious threats to achieving the goals of the Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-15. We are therefore working with our partners to ensure that prompt quality diagnosis and effective treatment is available to those who need it.
	Our support includes a 20 year commitment to UNITAID, the international facility for the purchase of drugs against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB, of up to €60 million per year subject to performance. UNITAID aims to triple access to rapid tests for multi-drug resistant TB and to significantly reduce the price of drug-resistant TB medicines. We also fund research to: develop easier to use diagnostics for drug resistant TB; new TB medicines; and in the longer-term, effective TB vaccines. We also fund operational research to improve health service delivery to diagnose and treat people with drug resistant TB.

Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what strategies his Department has to (a) prevent and (b) treat non-HIV related TB.

Stephen O'Brien: The coalition Government are committed to supporting global efforts to halve tuberculosis (TB) deaths by 2015, as highlighted in ‘UK aid: Changing lives, delivering results’. We will help increase access to effective prevention, diagnosis and treatment of TB through our bilateral and multilateral support, particularly through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is the largest single provider of international funds to fight TB, and through supporting co-ordinated action through the Stop TB Partnership; through our investments in research and product development into more effective treatment and vaccines; through our support to countries to strengthen health systems to deliver quality TB programmes; and working with our partners to tackle the risk factors for TB, including poverty and malnutrition.

UN Women

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support he plans to provide to the UN Women agency; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK has strongly supported UN Women from the outset, lobbying hard for its creation, providing transitional funding as it established itself and agreeing to a senior staff secondment. Following adoption of UN Women's strategic plan on 30 June the UK will provide £10 million in core funding to UN Women for each of the next two years. This will help UN Women achieve results for girls and women that include helping 15 countries adopt legislation to tackle domestic violence, supporting efforts to allow women to participate in political decision-making in 25 countries and holding the UN system to account on gender equality.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Bombardier: Redundancy

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on support for those to be made redundant from Bombardier in Derby.

Chris Grayling: Following the recent announcement by Bombardier that the company was planning to make job losses at its factory in Derby, an Economic Response taskforce has been set up by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It includes Jobcentre Plus, the Skills Funding Agency, Derby city council and representatives of local training providers.
	The taskforce had its first meeting on Friday 8 July and is exploring ways in which those facing redundancy can access other skilled jobs in the region.

Carer's Allowance: Islwyn

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many carers in Islwyn constituency currently in receipt of carer’s allowance will be affected by the planned introduction of the universal credit.

Chris Grayling: We continue to recognise the contribution made by carers and so carer's allowance is to remain payable as a separate benefit outside of universal credit.
	We will have an additional element within universal credit to recognise carers, similar to the carer premium currently payable within income-related benefits.
	Entitlement to universal credit will depend on a number of factors (such as earnings, family circumstances, housing costs). Departmental modelling estimates that around three-quarters of households where someone is receiving carer's allowance across Great Britain will be entitled to current benefits replaced by universal credit, or universal credit, in steady-state. However, due to sample size we cannot provide this information at a constituency level.

Departmental ICT

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the original estimate, at current prices, was of the cost to the public purse of the computer system built for his Department by EDS Systems and Microsoft; what the final cost, at current prices, was at the time of completion; and whether additional costs have been incurred since completion.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This is because the Department for Work and Pensions has a large number of IT systems to support delivery of the Government's Welfare and Pensions reform agenda, to transact business more efficiently and improve customer service and it is not possible to identify which specific computer system is being referred to.

Disability Living Allowance

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what policies and procedures his Department has put in place to ensure timely processing of (a) applications for disability living allowance and (b) appeal tribunals against decisions made regarding disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: We are working to remove unnecessary steps in the disability living allowance (DLA) application process as identified by customers and frontline staff. This has led to substantial improvements in timeliness—at the end of June 2011 the average waiting time to process an application for DLA was 21.7 days. This compares to 25.1 days in June 2010.
	We are also working together with Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, who has responsibility for appeals tribunals, and the judiciary to improve the appeals process for our customers.
	HMCTS has increased capacity and now clears 38% more appeals in April 2011 than April 2010, and 65% more than April 2009.

Disability Living Allowance

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of abolishing the upper age limit for claiming the mobility component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The information is not available.
	There are no reliable data available on which estimates could be made of the number of people 65 and over who might be entitled to the mobility component of disability living allowance, if they were to make a claim. Entitlement to the mobility component of disability living allowance can only be established when a claim is made and the actual mobility needs of the individual are assessed.

Disabled: Children

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of disabled children who will have their weekly benefits reduced as a result of his welfare reform measures.

Maria Miller: With regard to the universal credit, the Government have agreed a package of transitional protection which will ensure that there are no cash losers at the point of change as a direct result of the migration to universal credit, where circumstances remain the same.
	With regard to the introduction of personal independence payments, it is our intention, in the first instance, to only reassess individuals of working age—those aged 16-64. We will not extend personal independence payments to new or existing claims for children from 2013. The needs of children are very different to those of adults and we would want to build on our experience of developing and delivering the assessment for claimants of working age before considering children below the age of 16. We will consult on any substantive changes to the arrangements for children.

Employment Schemes: Disability

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to support disabled people into employment.

Maria Miller: We are committed to ensuring that disabled people have the same employment opportunities and chances as everyone else to find and stay in work, regardless of their disability or benefit status.
	As part of this commitment, the Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for a range of employment provision specifically aimed at disabled people:
	Work Choice, which was launched in October last year, provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment find and stay in work and ultimately help them progress into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual. Work Choice is voluntary and available regardless of any benefits being claimed.
	Access to Work—provides practical advice and financial support to employed disabled people above and beyond what the employer could reasonably provide, to help them overcome obstacles resulting from disability and thus stay in work.
	The Department for Work and Pensions also funds residential training for unemployed disabled adults whose needs cannot be met through any other Government funded programmes.
	Last month the Work programme rolled out across Great Britain, providing personalised back-to-work support for unemployed people, including disabled people. Contributory ESA customers will be able to volunteer for the Work programme, and if they wish, remain on the programme after their benefit has come to an end, ensuring that they receive all the support they need to help them return to work.
	The Work programme will be complemented by a new Jobcentre Plus offer which will allow more flexibility to Jobcentre Plus managers and advisers to judge which interventions will help individual customers, including disabled customers, most cost effectively and meet local need. Jobcentre Plus will continue to work closely with local health services, supported by disability employment advisers and work psychologists.
	The Sayce review, “Getting in, staying in and getting on”, was published on 9 June 2011. At the time of publication, I confirmed that Government would consult before moving to any decisions on the future strategy for specialist disability employment programmes.
	The Government's response and a separate public consultation have been launched through a written statement to the House on 9 June 2011, Official Report, columns 45-46WS. A programme of consultation events is planned over the summer, involving a wide range of stakeholders.

Employment Schemes: Richmond

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress has been made on the Work programme in Richmond.

Chris Grayling: The Work programme went live in the contract area covering Richmond from 1 June 2011. The programme is being delivered by three prime providers: Ingeus Deloitte and Reed in Partnership who started delivery on 1 June, Maximus who started delivery on 15 June 2011.
	Progress is measured by a range of statistics, including customers referred to provision, as well as the number of sustained job outcomes.
	The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. It is the intention of the Department to publish national statistics on Work programme referrals from spring 2012 and job outcomes from autumn 2012. These timescales take account of the newness of the provision and length of time it will take for sustained job outcomes to be realised.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what responsibility he has for contributing to Government action against human trafficking; and what recent action he has taken in this regard.

Chris Grayling: The Government are committed to tackling human trafficking, and the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), will shortly publish a robust new strategy, detailing how we will make further progress. We are determined to build on the UK's strong track record in supporting victims and fighting traffickers. The UK implements key international agreements aimed at improving anti-trafficking efforts across the world. This includes the UN's Palermo Protocol and the Council of Europe Convention. Despite the difficult financial climate, Government have also protected funding for victims of trafficking.
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), chairs the Social Justice Cabinet Committee, which meets regularly to discuss and reach cross-Government consensus on a number of issues relating to poverty, equality and social justice including the issue of human trafficking.

Jobcentre Plus: Closures

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether any closures of jobcentre offices in (a) the north-east and (b) England are planned.

Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh, I have asked him to provide the hon. member with the information requested.
	Letter from Darra Singh
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking whether any closures of jobcentre offices in (a) the North East and (b) England are planned. This falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Government has set out an ambitious programme of reform and transformation. The introduction of Universal Credit and the Work Programme, alongside our plans to improve and personalise the services we offer, will provide both significant challenges and opportunities for Jobcentre Plus. We will become a smaller, leaner and more flexible organisation which delivers more of its services over the telephone and Internet.
	As we deliver more, of our services over the Internet, and as unemployment falls, so we will free up capacity in our network. Face-to-face contact will reduce as more services can be accessed online and as we simplify the benefit system. Ultimately, these reforms are aimed at delivering a better service in a more efficient manner.
	Our Jobcentres will remain central to our operation. The Government's reforms will transform and strengthen the support for people to get back into work. Our prime concern is to ensure that we have a Jobcentre network that is appropriate to deliver the service our customers need, and of course cost effectiveness and productivity will be a factor. Each District has been asked to produce a service delivery plan, mapping how customers in that District will be served in each locality.
	No decisions have yet been taken on any closures. Once we have developed our options we will consult with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. We will in addition, undertake full Equality Impact Assessments and actively seek to mitigate, as far as is possible, any potentially adverse impacts. These assessments will be used in our decision making about the future.

Older Workers: Unemployment

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to provide training for unemployed people over the age of 55 years.

Chris Grayling: Jobcentre Plus advisers offer all jobseekers of all ages a comprehensive menu of help including skills provision and job-search support. Advisers have the flexibility to judge which interventions will help jobseekers at the most appropriate point in their claim, tailoring this to individual need.
	From the start of the academic year in August 2011, claimants of jobseeker's allowance or employment and support allowance (work-related activity group) will be eligible for fully-funded training to help them into work. In England, providers will be rewarded for providing short units of accredited training, more suitable for Jobcentre Plus claimants, as well as for full qualifications. Jobcentre Plus will work closely with skills providers at a local level to ensure that the training offered meets the needs of both claimants and employers.
	The Work programme provides support for those who are more at risk of long-term unemployment. Work programme providers are free to design support based on the needs of individuals and target the right support at the right time. Work programme providers will be paid for getting people into work and keeping them there, which means that there are strong incentives for delivery partners to provide skills training where that support would help a customer move into work and keep them in work.

Personal Income: Sunderland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the likely effects on the incomes of people with children of each (a) sex and (b) relationship status in Sunderland of changes in the level of benefits in 2011-12.

Maria Miller: The information is not available.
	The Family Resources Survey (FRS) is the Department's primary source of information for data on incomes and benefit receipt. FRS statistics and the Department's modelling capability of projected tax and benefit changes, which uses the FRS as its base data, do not allow robust estimates of impacts at the level of disaggregation requested. In addition, the latest available publication of the FRS only relates to the 2009-10 survey year.

Poverty: Children

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in York Central were living in (a) absolute and (b) relative poverty (i) in May 2010 and (ii) on the latest date for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household (rather than family) income adjusted (or ‘equivalised’) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	The sample size of this survey is not sufficient to provide estimates for small areas such as those requested. However, figures at a regional level, for Yorkshire and the Humber are available. Three survey years have been combined because single year estimates are not considered to be sufficiently reliable. Therefore information for part (i) is not available.
	Statistics covering 2007-08 to 2009-10 are the most recent available.
	The following table below shows (a) the proportion and number of children living in absolute poverty and (b) relative poverty Before Housing Costs (BHC) in the UK, for 2007-08 to 2009-10 in Yorkshire and the Humber.
	
		
			 Numbers and proportions of children living in (a) absolute poverty and (b) relative poverty (BHC) in Yorkshire and the Humber 
			  Absolute poverty Relative poverty 
			 Period Number (million) Proportion (%) Number (million) Proportion (%) 
			 2007-08 to 2009-10 0.2 14 0.3 26 
			 Notes: 1.These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data available at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai_arc 2. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the 2009-10 Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 4. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost rather than an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 5. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 6. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. 7. Numbers of children have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand children. 8. Proportions of children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 9. Each of the measures is defined as: Absolute poverty: children living in households with equivalised incomes below 60% of 1998-99 median household income held constant in real terms. Relative poverty: children living in households with equivalised incomes below 60% of contemporary median household income. Source: Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2009/10, DWP

Social Security Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the average take-home income including in-work benefits of households from 2013.

Chris Grayling: DWP estimates suggest that for households that are in work the median take-home income, including in work benefits, could be approximately £520 a week in 2013-14 (in 2013-14 prices). £520 is an estimate and the exact amount will depend on actual benefit rates in 2013-14.
	The costing model used to make this estimate is DWP's Policy Simulation Model (PSM), which is a static microsimulation model based on data from the 2008-09 Family Resources Survey, uprated to the relevant year's prices, benefit rates and earnings levels. The model is also adjusted for expected changes in the size and composition of the population.

Social Security Benefits: Payments

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to the public purse was at current prices of the ICL Pathway contract to build a benefits care payment system.

Chris Grayling: The Benefit Payment Card Project was cancelled by the previous Government in 1999. Up to the date of cancellation the then benefits agency's expenditure on the project totalled approximately £127 million.

Winter Fuel Payments: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in York with at least one person aged 75 years or over received winter fuel payments in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

Steve Webb: The information for 2009-10 is available in the document ‘Winter Fuel Payment (Number of Households) 2009-2010 by Parliamentary Constituency’. This is available in the Commons Library and on the internet at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?paqe=wfp
	Information for 2010-11 is not currently available.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Common Agricultural Policy

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wycombe, of 28 June 2011, Official Report, column 636W, on the common agricultural policy, what plans she has to ensure that the condition of chalk streams is taken into account in responding to climate change challenges as part of her Department's negotiations on future common agricultural policy expenditure.

James Paice: The Government are already working to make the existing Environmental Stewardship provisions within Axis 2 of the Rural Development Programme for England more effective through the ongoing ‘Making Environmental Stewardship More Effective’ project.
	Negotiations on CAP reform will start later this year. Future CAP expenditure should tackle the key objectives of encouraging a competitive, sustainable EU agriculture sector able to respond to climate change challenges, reducing reliance on subsidies and focusing resources on the provision of environmental public goods.
	Chalk streams are valued for their unique biological and environmental characters, and many are already designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest or have other protections.
	Improving or preserving the condition of chalk streams is already taken into account in national policy through the establishment of river basin management plans which are required under the water framework directive. This allows regional panels, which include local stakeholders, to work together to design suitable management plans for water bodies in their area.
	Recommendation 4 of the Government's response to the Lawton review ‘Making Space for Nature’, published in June, outlines measures to protect and improve the water environment:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13537-lawton-response-110607.pdf
	Under the water framework directive the UK is required to aim to achieve good chemical and ecological status in all inland and coastal waters by 2015.

CABINET OFFICE

Behavioural Insights Team

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what means the success of the Behavioural Insights Team's initiatives will be measured; and how frequently reviews of its performance will take place.

Francis Maude: The Behavioural Insights Team's quarterly Steering Board reviews progress on a regular basis. In July 2012, the two year anniversary of the team, the Steering Board will consider the team's progress in the round. Success metrics depend on the policy initiative in question, but will include costs to benefits analysis.

Behavioural Insights Team

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of the Behavioural Insights Team's budget will be spent on marketing.

Francis Maude: No proportion of the Behavioural Insights Team budget will be spent on marketing.

Behavioural Insights Team

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many press officers are assigned to the Behavioural Insights Team.

Francis Maude: The team employs no press officers.

Behavioural Insights Team

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department has spent on travel expenses for the Behavioural Insights Team since September 2010.

Francis Maude: Travel expenses for the team, including travel for unpaid academic advisers, amounted to £8,198.37.

Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has any plans to generate low-carbon energy from the Downing street estate.

Francis Maude: There are no plans to generate low-carbon energy from the Downing street estate.
	The primary heat source for the estate is the Whitehall District Heating System, which runs from combined heat and power generation equipment. There are no plans to replace this.

Charitable Donations

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress the Behavioural Insights Team has made in developing a charitable project to improve donations.

Francis Maude: The recently published Giving White Paper
	www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/resource-library/giving-white-paper
	sets out what the Cabinet Office, with support from the Behavioural Insights Team, is doing to encourage charitable giving.

Deaths: Drugs

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people died of a drug overdose in (a) York, (b) North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust area and (c) England in each year since 1997.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people died of a drug overdose in (a) York, (b) North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust area and (c) England in each year since 1997. (65841)
	The following tables provide the number of deaths where the underlying cause was (i) drug poisoning (Table 1) and (ii) drug poisoning and any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate (Table 2), for (a) York unitary authority, (b) North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust and (c) England, from 1997 to 2009 (the latest year available).
	
		
			 Table 1. Number of deaths from drug poisoning, York unitary authority, North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust, and England, 1997 to 2009 (1, 2, 3, 4) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			  York unitary authority North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust England 
			 1997 7 36 2,644 
			 1996 9 40 2,811 
			 1999 7 29 2,932 
			 2000 5 31 2,758 
			 2001 13 38 2,884 
			 2002 11 39 2,624 
		
	
	
		
			 2003 5 28 2,425 
			 2004 12 32 2,606 
			 2005 7 29 2,589 
			 2006 8 29 2,396 
			 2007 4 21 2,433 
			 2008 6 22 2,734 
			 2009 8 34 2,675 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1997 to 2000 and Tenth Revision (ICD 10) for the years 2001 to 2009. The ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes for drug poisoning are shown in Box 1. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2011. (3 )Figures exclude deaths of non-residents. (4 )Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2. Number of deaths from drug misuse, York unitary authority, North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust, and England, 1997 to 2009 (1, 2, 3, 4) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			  York unitary authority North Yorkshire and York Primary are Trust England 
			 1997 2 17 1,233 
			 1998 4 18 1,389 
			 1999 3 14 1,538 
			 2000 2 19 1,510 
			 2001 10 23 1,697 
			 2002 7 20 1,505 
			 2003 3 15 1,312 
			 2004 8 22 1,417 
			 2005 4 16 1,506 
			 2006 4 17 1,456 
			 2007 2 15 1,590 
			 2008 5 16 1,800 
			 2009 5 23 1,731 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1997 to 2000 and Tenth Revision (ICD 10) for the years 2001 to 2009. The ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes for drug poisoning are shown in Box 1. Figures for drug misuse include all drug poisoning deaths where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2011. (3) Figures exclude deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			 Box 1. ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes for deaths related to drug poisoning 
			 ICD-10 ICD-9 Description 
			 F11-F16, F18-F19 292, 304, 305.2-305.9 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 
			 X40-X44 E850-E858 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X60-X64 E950.0-E950.5 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
		
	
	
		
			 X85 E962.0 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 Y10-Y14 E980.0-E980.5 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many regulations his Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses.

Francis Maude: (a) Two regulations determined as not imposing costs on businesses were introduced by the Cabinet Office in the six months prior to 1 September 2010.
	(b) No regulations determined as not imposing costs on businesses were introduced by the Cabinet Office in the six months after 1 September 2010.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department has (a) introduced and (b) removed since 1 September 2010; what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was; and what regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010.

Francis Maude: No regulations that impose costs on businesses have been introduced or revoked by the Cabinet Office since 1 September 2010.
	No regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they addressed (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department (a) introduced and (b) removed in the six months prior to 1 September 2010; and what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was.

Francis Maude: No regulations that impose a cost on businesses were introduced by the Cabinet Office in the six months prior to or the six months after 1 September 2010.

Food: Hygiene

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress the Behavioural Insights Team has made in relation to food hygiene.

Francis Maude: The recently published consumer empowerment strategy, “Better Choices, Better Deals”:
	www.bis.gov.uk/policies/consumer-issues/consumer-empowerment
	a joint BIS/Behavioural Insights Team publication, sets out how the team has been progressing work on food hygiene. This work is ongoing.

New Businesses: Wales

Simon Hart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many new business starts there have been in (a) Carmarthenshire and (b) Pembrokeshire since May 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many new business starts there have been in (a) Carmarthenshire and (b) Pembrokeshire since May 2010.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprise births are available from the ONS release on Business Demography at
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	However, the information requested is not available as the latest estimates for business births relate to 2009.

Organs: Donors

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress the Behavioural Insights Team has made in relation to levels of organ donation.

Francis Maude: The Behavioural Insights Team has been working with the Department of Health to trial a new 'prompted choice' for organ donation. The changes to the DVLA website will go live in the near future.

Public Consultation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of the Behavioural Insight Team's budget is allocated to public consultations.

Francis Maude: No proportion of the Behavioural Insights Team's budget is allocated to public consultations.

Public Sector: Procurement

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will take steps to ensure that all contracts put out to tender by Government Departments include a social value element.

Francis Maude: The role of the public procurer is to secure value for money in buying the goods and services that Government needs. Where they represent value for money, social issues can be taken into account in a way that is consistent with procurement law.

Smoking

Luciana Berger: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress the Behavioural Insights Team has made in relation to reductions in levels of smoking.

Francis Maude: The Behavioural Insights Team and the Department of Health are working in partnership with Boots and a leading UK academic in the field of smoking cessation to trial ways to encourage more smokers to successfully quit smoking. Results are expected in 2012.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Clubs: Public Finance

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date the decision was taken by his Department to authorise public expenditure on an away day at the Brickhouse burlesque club; how much was spent on the away day and on which contractors and firms; what form the teambuilding event took; and what steps have been taken to reduce expenditure on away days.

Bob Neill: This away day event was authorised by the Department in February 2010, before the coalition Government took office. The booking was made under the last Administration, while the cost of the event was debited via the Government Procurement Card in May 2010.
	Poisson Rouge, an events management company, was contracted to provide the venue and the event. The total cost of the event was £4,719.21 which comprised £3,417.71 of payments made to Poisson Rouge and £1,301.50 to the venue, the Brickhouse.
	The event involved hire of a room during the day at the venue, for a review of work in internal audit. While I am informed the Brickhouse often features such figures as 'burlesque chanteuse Lady Beau Peep' and 'showgirl sensation Amber Topaz', the event in this instance did not involve civil servants watching, or indeed, performing cabaret or other eclectic entertainment.
	No alcohol was consumed at the event. The purpose of the staff event was to review work carried out for 2009-10, identify areas for improvement, agree changes for the forthcoming year to improve service delivery and build the team. However, the final part of the day did involve a team building event involving drumming, organised by Poisson Rouge.
	http://www.poissonrouge.co.uk/events-organisers/services/team-building/rhythm.asp
	The policy on such events has changed significantly following the arrival of the new Administration in May 2010. Team review events now take place at no or very limited costs, for example through using rooms in the Department. New checks and balances have been put in place, assisted by the discipline of the Department publishing all spending over £500 and greater openness over the Government Procurement Card.
	I am aware that Poisson Rouge has been used in the past by a number of public sector clients. Embracing transparency and reducing away day spending is a prime example of how both Whitehall and the town hall can make sensible savings to cut costs, protect frontline services and pay off the deficit inherited from the last administration.

Departmental Domestic Visits

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many times he has visited (a) Buckinghamshire, (b) Surrey, (c) Liverpool and (d) Dorset in an official capacity since May 2010.

Bob Neill: I refer the hon. Member to my written answers of 17 February 2011, Official Report, column 887-888W, and 24 May 2011, Official Report, column 682-684W.

Fire Services

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what costs to the public purse have been incurred at each FiReControl room since it was constructed; what the cost to the public purse per month is of each Control room; how much has been spent on consultancy services for the FiReControl project to date; and what the monthly costs are of consultancy work connected with the regional FiReControl rooms.

Bob Neill: holding answer 10 June 2011
	In first instance, I refer the hon. Member to the National Audit Office report of 1 July 2011, HC 1272, on “The Failure of the FiReControl project”.
	It states:
	“The FiReControl project was flawed from the outset because it did not have the support of those essential to its success—local Fire and Rescue Services. The Department rushed the start of the project, failing to follow proper procedures. Ineffective checks and balances during initiation and early stages meant the Department committed itself to the project on the basis of broad-brush and inaccurate estimates of costs and benefits and an unrealistic delivery timetable, and agreed an inadequate contract with its IT supplier. The Department under-appreciated the project's complexity, and then mismanaged the IT contractor's performance and delivery. The Department failed to provide the necessary leadership to make the project successful, over-relying on poorly managed consultants and failing to sort out early problems with delivery by the contractor. The Department took a firmer grip of the project from 2009 and terminated the contract in December 2010 to avoid even more money being wasted. The Department is now trying to minimise the future cost of the project by subsidising Fire and Rescue Services to use the Regional Control Centres” (National Audit Office press release, 1 July 2011).
	The total running costs incurred at each control centre building (up to and including April 2011) and the monthly running costs over the last three years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Control centre building Cost incurred in total (1) Estimated monthly running cost (inc. rent) (1)  2011-12 Estimated monthly running cost (inc. rent) (1)  2010-11 Estimated monthly running cost (inc. rent) (1)  2009-10 
			 London 2,011,773 261,152 (2)268,320 (2)3,359 
			 South East 5,268,002 164,200 171,434 167,684 
			 South West 5,970,324 145,784 156,267 152,517 
			 East of England 4,307,538 155,833 168,338 155,817 
			 East Midlands 6,266,748 144,534 155,835 152,085 
		
	
	
		
			 West Midlands 5,460,625 158,574 169,243 165,493 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 4,175,2-54 145,725 153,965 144,638 
			 North East 5,894,453 142,647 150,434 146,684 
			 North West 4,534,320 141,241 155,620 150,953 
			 (1) All costs exclude VAT. (2) The building in London was completed on 26 February 2010 and was rent free until 26 November 2010. The 2010-11 figure from December 2010 is the estimated monthly running cost. 
		
	
	The National Audit Office report states on the empty buildings:
	“The Department's failure to manage the project as a whole has resulted in the creation of empty regional control centres. The nine regional control centres were purpose-built to house the new computerised equipment and were designed specifically for that purpose. The Department's decision to prioritise the procurement of the centres over the IT system at an early stage meant that the first centres were completed in June 2007, just three months after the IT contract had been awarded” (Full Report, p.8).
	A total of £68.6 million has been spent on consultancy services for the FiReControl project to date. There are currently no costs associated with consultancy work on the control centre buildings. Monthly cost comparisons between 2009-10 and 2010-11 are shown in the following table; the project closed in December 2010.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Month 2009-10 2010-11 
			 April 413,300 851,300 
			 May 390,500 397,000 
			 June 1,372,500 753,900 
			 July 845,500 773,400 
			 August 2,755,300 495,100 
			 September 937,000 647,800 
			 October 1,088,100 542,800 
			 November 99,400 613,700 
			 December 868,900 512,800 
			 January 702,100 280,000 
			 February 790,400 176,900 
			 March 998,500 38,100 
			 Total 10,480,600 6,082,700 
		
	
	The coalition Government took decisive action and closed down the last Government's costly and flawed project when it became clear that it could not be delivered to an acceptable timeframe. Our aim is to achieve the best possible value for money for the taxpayer from these expensive legacy buildings that we have been handed on by the previous Administration.
	We have already reached agreement with the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority to take over the control centre in Merton. Our preference is for Fire and Rescue Services to use the centres as they are highly resilient and built for this purpose. Where we cannot reach agreement for Fire and Rescue Services to move in, we will actively seek suitable tenants for them.

Fire Services: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons his Department has changed the funding formula for fire brigades.

Bob Neill: Two changes were made to the fire funding formula which are reflected in the current Local Government Finance Settlement. The first was to update the expenditure data and the second was to adopt a new fire risk index with a positive weight for population density. Both updates were made to reflect more up to date data. We took into account all of the views received on the options for change set out in the summer 2010 consultation paper, which concluded two years of work reviewing the existing formula with representatives from fire authorities.

Housing: Fire Extinguishers

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the fitting of sprinkler systems to all new build domestic accommodation.

Andrew Stunell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Filton and Bradley Stoke (Jack Lopresti) on 28 March 2011, Official Report, column 6W.

North West Regional Development Agency: Lancashire

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what sites in (a) Hyndburn and (b) Lancashire are owned by the (i) North West Regional Development Agency and (ii) Homes and Communities Agency.

Andrew Stunell: The regional development agency assets are a matter for the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable).
	A detailed list of the assets owned by Homes and Communities Agency, broken down by local authority area, are listed on the agency website at:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/land-and-property-assets
	These assets are a mix in terms of scale and type of land with many being part of ongoing negotiation or at a stage of contractual commitment for development, but are still in the agency's ownership. Others are small non-developable parcels such as grass verges.

Rents

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish the modelling on the effects on the Department for Work and Pensions, including the potential effects on housing benefit expenditure, of his policy on affordable rents.

Grant Shapps: The Department for Communities and Local Government published a full impact assessment for Affordable Rent in June 2011. This includes indicative estimates of the potential effects on housing benefit expenditure:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/rentimpactassessment

Rough Sleepers

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the number of rough sleepers in York in (a) May 1997 and (b) May of each subsequent year.

Grant Shapps: The Government have introduced a new more accurate way of evaluating rough sleeping levels in England. Previously only local authorities where there was a known, or suspected, rough sleeping problem were required to provide a count, which led to a large number of existing rough sleepers being excluded from the data. All areas across England now provide counts or robust estimates giving a clear national picture. Latest statistics show 1,768 rough sleepers in England on any one night in autumn 2010. York unitary authority provided an estimate of two rough sleepers in the area. These figures are published at the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1845849.xls
	Rough sleeping statistics for previous years are not comparable to the latest figures. However, figures for previous years have been published on the DCLG website and are available at the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1648099.xls
	The Department has no plans to revise its rough sleeping statistics for previous years.
	This Government are committed to tackling rough sleeping and preventing homelessness. We have maintained the level of Homelessness Grant, with £400 million for local authorities and the voluntary sector over the next four years. A cross-departmental Ministerial Working Group has been set up to address the complex causes of homelessness and improve support for homeless people.

Travellers: Planning Permission

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements he has put in place in respect of the retrospective grant of planning permission to Travellers.

Bob Neill: The provisions on retrospective planning applications in the Localism Bill will apply to all developers. Clause 108 provides for local planning authorities to decline to determine retrospective planning applications where an enforcement notice has been served. This means that a developer may attempt to obtain planning permission for an unauthorised development by either a retrospective planning application or an enforcement appeal, but not both.
	This will allow for the correction of innocent mistakes, such as a householder not realising planning permission was required, whilst clamping down on the intentional abuse of retrospective planning permission.

Waste Disposal

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities collect resident and business waste (a) weekly and (b) bi-weekly.

Bob Neill: We believe the public have a reasonable expectation that their household waste collections should be weekly, particularly for smelly waste. That is why we have already ditched the last Government's policy of imposing fortnightly collections and we are now going to work with local councils to increase the frequency and quality of rubbish collections. We want to make it easier to recycle, and to tackle measures which encouraged councils to cut the scope of collections.
	My Department does not hold centrally the frequency data requested, however, the Government will be working with the Waste and Resources Action Programme to monitor levels of service, and my Department is examining how we can increase transparency to local residents on the frequency and cost efficiency of waste collections, with a view to using best practice to help increase frequency and quality of service.

DEFENCE

Assassination: Armed Conflict

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government's policy is on the targeted killing of individuals (a) in armed conflict situations and (b) outside armed conflict situations; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: Any use of force whether in an armed conflict or otherwise will need to be consistent with applicable legal obligations, whether under a UN Security Council Resolution or some other legal mandate. In an armed conflict situation we would comply with the Laws of Armed Conflict. Any use of force outside of an armed conflict should be consistent with that legal mandate and also with English criminal law, for instance, in cases such as self defence, defence of others or prevention of crime.

Defence: Space Technology

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to improve the UK's military space capability.

Peter Luff: As part of the strategic defence and security review, the Government expressed its intent to develop a national space security policy which will coherently address all aspects of the UK's dependence on space. The Ministry of Defence is currently closely involved in this policy development work, which will set the context for what improvements, if any, may be necessary to meet the UK's future military space capability requirements.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regulations his Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses.

Peter Luff: All of the regulations introduced by the Ministry of Defence in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and in the six months after 1 September 2010 were determined not to impose costs on businesses. Defence Ministers signed seven statutory instruments in the first period, and five statutory instruments in the second period. The Government's policy is to consider alternatives to regulation. A list of regulatory measures introduced in the first half of 2011 can be found in the Statement of New Regulation in the Library of the House.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department has (a) introduced and (b) removed since 1 September 2010; what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was; and what regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010.

Peter Luff: No regulations that impose costs on businesses have been introduced or removed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) since 1 September 2010. No regulations were excluded from the one-in, one-out system by the MOD because they address emergencies and systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010. The one-in, one-out regulatory management system, although announced in September, did not come into force until January 2011.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department (a) introduced and (b) removed in the six months prior to 1 September 2010; and what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was.

Peter Luff: No regulations that impose costs on businesses have been introduced or removed by the Ministry of Defence in the six months prior to 1 September 2010.

Departmental Responsibilities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party has been refused by (a) a Minister in his Department directly and (b) his Department on behalf of a Minister since May 2010.

Liam Fox: Defence Ministers are committed to an open and regular dialogue with their parliamentary counterparts, however the information requested is not held.

HMS Ark Royal

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the decision to sell HMS Ark Royal.

Peter Luff: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 March 2011, Official Report, column 389W, to the right hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Frank Dobson).

HMS Endurance

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (a) for how long HMS Endurance was leased, (b) how much that lease cost and (c) at what cost it was purchased.

Peter Luff: The records of these arrangements are stored in archive and need to be retrieved in order to provide a full answer to the hon. Member. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.
	Substantive answer from Peter Luff to Angus Robertson:
	In my answer of 15 June 2011 to your Parliamentary Question (Official Report, column 830W), I undertook to write to you and provide details of the lease and purchase of HMS Endurance.
	In October 1991, the Department leased the Polar Circle, which was subsequently renamed HMS Endurance, for a period of seven months for £3.1 million. The ship was then purchased for £25 million in early 1992.
	I am placing a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

Libya: Armed Conflict

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assets that have been used in the Libyan campaign are due for decommissioning under the strategic defence and security review; what elements of that capacity will be replaced; and in what time frame.

Liam Fox: holding answer 11 July 2011
	Following the strategic defence and security review, a number of assets have been, or are planned to be, withdrawn that have been used in Libya. These are as follows:
	the withdrawal from service of the Type 22 Frigate HMS Cumberland in April this year, without replacement;
	the withdrawal from service of the three variants of the TriStar transport/tanker aircraft as we transition to the more capable A330 (Voyager) over the next few years;
	reducing the role of the VC-10 transport/tanker aircraft to air-to-air refuelling only, with the target of withdrawing it by 2013 as Voyager enters service;
	the withdrawal from service of the C-130J Hercules tactical transport aircraft by 2022, as we transition to the larger and more capable A400M aircraft;
	the withdrawal from service of the Sentinel aircraft, once these are no longer required to support operations in Afghanistan, and of the Sea King Mk 7 helicopter from 2016. We have a number of manned and remotely piloted aircraft either in-service or forthcoming that will mitigate the loss of these aircraft.
	We will continue to have the capability required to continue to support UK activity in Libya pursuant with UN Security Council Resolution 1973.

Libya: Armed Conflict

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons forces involved in Operation (a) Ellamy and (b) Unified Protector are not eligible for operational pay.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the Statement made earlier today by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset (Dr Fox).

Military Aircraft

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying hours are provided for in the Sentinel R1 Aircraft basic contract.

Peter Luff: The Sentinel contractor logistic support contract provides for 3,200 flying hours per year.

Military Aircraft

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has made for the replacement of the capability currently provided by Sentinel R1 aircraft after 2015.

Peter Luff: The strategic defence and security review announced the decision to delete the Sentinel capability in 2015. The Ministry of Defence is developing plans to address the capability gap and expect to reach conclusions in the autumn. The plans are likely to involve the use of Watchkeeper, an unmanned air vehicle, and future systems such as the Crowsnest programme from 2016, and through the development of Scavenger, an unmanned air system.

Military Decorations

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will recommend an extension to the qualification criteria for receipt of the Diamond Jubilee Medal to allow those who have served for a minimum of five years in the armed forces at any point during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II to apply;
	(2)  if he will recommend an extension to the qualification criteria for receipt of the Diamond Jubilee Medal to those currently serving in the armed forces who have been deployed to Afghanistan at any point since February 2007 without having served for a minimum of five years.

Andrew Robathan: We welcome the announcement by the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), on 28 June 2011 that members of the armed forces (regular and reserves) who have completed five full calendar years of service, and are serving on 6 February 2012, will be presented with a medal to mark Her Majesty's diamond jubilee.
	The Ministry of Defence will issue detailed qualifying criteria applying to personnel later this summer, and the points raised by these questions will be taken into consideration during this work.

Military Police

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what elements of the service police in the (a) Army, (b) RAF and (c) Royal Navy operate on a tri-service basis.

Andrew Robathan: Joint service units comprising personnel from the three service police forces operate in the following locations:
	Cyprus, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands;
	Defence College of Policing and Guarding;
	Service Police Crime Bureau;
	Afghanistan;
	Diego Garcia.

Military Police

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) duties and (b) priorities of service police in the (i) Army, (ii) RAF and (iii) Royal Navy are; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Each service police force is headed by a Provost Marshal and directed by their respective services. Each force provides different capabilities and is therefore organised differently.
	Royal Military Police (RMP)
	The duties and priorities of the RMP are twofold; to police the Army and, to provide support to the Army. The first covers the provision of policing and investigative services in a contemporary operating environment at home and while deployed, in order to support the service justice system. The second covers the use of police and investigative skills to support military operations, and includes close protection for designated individuals.
	Royal Air Force (RAF) Police
	The RAF Police duties and priorities are to provide police, counter-intelligence and protective security support to enable RAF commanders to deliver effective military capability. Their roles include the policing of RAF stations at home and overseas, provision of higher level investigative support, and advising on security and risk management issues. They also provide tactical policing support to military operations including close protection and counter intelligence work.
	Royal Navy Police (RNP)
	The RNP support operational effectiveness and the delivery of military capability by the prevention, investigation and detection of crime and disciplinary offences across the naval service.
	The overriding priority for RNP is to support the Royal Navy on deployed operations and enhance the policing capability to deal with counter-piracy and narcotic operations. Within the UK base port areas, RNP policing priorities are to reduce crime that impacts on military capability and respond to the needs of military communities including concerns over crime and anti-social behaviour.

Military Police: Expenditure

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the costs of administration of the service police, including the Service Police Crime Bureau, were in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: It is important to note that administrative costs are recorded differently across the service police.
	The administration costs of the service police for financial year 2010-11 were as follows:
	Royal Military Police—£1,907,954
	This figure includes the administration cost of the Service Police Crime Bureau which is met by Provost Marshal (Army) and was £183,831 over the period. The figure does not include the costs of Royal Military Police or civilian personnel involved in administrative duties who are allocated to other military units.
	Royal Air Force Police—£4,632,000
	The RAF police figure covers all administration costs and includes civilian personnel costs at £2 million.
	Royal Navy Police—£246,744
	This figure does not include administrative costs associated with Royal Navy police on budgets other than fleet, sea-going units, deployed operations, or Tri Service establishments.

Nuclear Disarmament

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what matters were agreed at the meeting of the permanent members of the UN Security Council on nuclear disarmament held in Paris between 29 June and 1 July 2011; and if he will place in the Library copies of papers circulated by attending parties.

David Lidington: I have been asked to reply.
	The P5 Conference in Paris was a significant demonstration by the five nuclear weapon states of their determination to make progress against their commitments agreed in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference Action Plan in May 2010. A public statement announcing the outcomes of the Conference was issued immediately afterwards and is available on the FCO website:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=PressS&id=627529382
	In order to facilitate frank discussions on sensitive issues, participants had agreed in advance that the detail of the discussions and papers circulated at the meeting would remain confidential. The meeting successfully contributed to building mutual trust between the P5; reaching agreement on further work on new confidence-building disarmament initiatives, including the establishment of a working group to enhance understanding of P5 nuclear terminology, and a confidential UK-hosted expert-level meeting later this year to share lessons from work that the UK has led on verification of nuclear warhead dismantlement.

Records of Detention

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the oral statement of 26 February 2009, Official Report, columns 3294-97W, on records of detention (review conclusions) and the answer of 6 July 2009, Official Report, column 549W, on Afghanistan: detainees, what steps UK authorities took to determine the status, under the Geneva conventions, of the two detainees concerned; whether the two individuals were classified by the UK authorities as (a) prisoners of war, (b) civilians, (c) protected persons or (d) under any other legal classification; in what detention centres in Iraq the two detainees were held by the US prior to their transfer to Afghanistan; and on what date the two transfers to Afghanistan took place. [Official Report, 11 October 2011, Vol. 533, c. 3-4MC.]

Liam Fox: holding answer 9 June 2011
	These individuals were members of Lashkar-e-Taiba and they were captured as they posed an imperative threat to security in Iraq. They had travelled to Iraq to target coalition forces and the operation launched against them was necessary in order to save lives. Our forces risked their lives to capture such individuals and to ensure the security of Iraq.
	They were captured by UK forces in and around Baghdad in February 2004, at the time that the UK was an occupying power in south eastern Iraq, and immediately transferred to US forces in Iraq in accordance with established processes. The reason for this transfer was that the UK did not have its own detention facility close to where the two individuals were captured. The individuals were then held in US detention at Balad and subsequently transferred to a US detention facility in Afghanistan by August 2004.
	UK forces did not undertake an assessment of whether or not the individuals were prisoners of war because they were immediately transferred to US forces for detention. As part of the review of the case completed by officials between late 2008 and early 2009, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) considered the status of the detainees and determined that, as there was no information to suggest that they were members of the armed forces of Iraq, they would not have been prisoners of war. They may have been protected persons under the Geneva conventions, subject to certain criteria being satisfied. If they were protected persons, compliance with the Geneva conventions in respect of detainees held by US forces was primarily a matter for the US.
	The MOD is co-operating fully with Sir Peter Gibson's Detainee inquiry, the purpose of which was described by the Prime Minister, in July 2010 as to
	“examine whether, and if so to what extent, the UK Government and its intelligence agencies were involved in improper treatment of detainees held by other countries in counter-terrorism operations overseas, or were aware of the improper treatment of detainees in operations in which the UK was involved”.
	We understand that the Detainee inquiry will consider this case as part of their work.

Service Police: Travel

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of travel for official purposes of civilian staff of the service police, across the Army, RAF and Navy between May 2010 and 2011.

Andrew Robathan: The travel and subsistence costs incurred by civilian staff supporting the service police was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Royal Navy police 0 
			 Royal Air Force police 1,901.74 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide a figure for the civilian staff supporting the Royal Military Police (RMP) since any travel costs are met by the relevant unit where the RMP are located, therefore this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

EDUCATION

Children in Care: GCSE

Edward Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of (a) looked after children and (b) other children gained five GCSEs or equivalents at grades A* to C in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2010; and how many of those included GCSEs or equivalents in English and mathematics.

Tim Loughton: Information on the percentage of looked after children who achieve five GCSEs, as well as those who achieve five GCSEs including English and mathematics, is available in table 3.1 of the Department's Statistical First Release, Outcomes for Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England, as at 31 March 2010. This shows the percentage of children looked after continuously for 12 months at 31 March who achieved five or more GCSEs (including equivalents) for all years since 2006. Information on years prior to 2006 is not available from this data source. The publication can be found at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000978/index.shtml
	Information taken from table 3.1 is shown in table 1; this follows the current practice of comparing the GCSE performance of children looked after continuously for 12 months with that of all children. Information on the GCSE performance of children who are not looked after can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Table 1: Key Stage 4 performance of children who have been looked after continuously for at least 12 months at 31 March (1)  compared to Key Stage 4 performance of all children, years: 2006-10—coverage: England 
			   Percentage of children 
			     Who achieved (GCSE or equivalent) 
			  Number eligible to sit GCSEs (2) Entered for at least 1 GCSE or equivalent Entered for at least 5 GCSEs or equivalent Any pass 5+ GCSEs at grades A*-G 5+ GCSEs at grades A*-C 5+ GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and mathematics 
			 2006 4,900 62.5 49.0 61.8 40.7 11.8 5.9 
			 2007 4,900 61.8 48.5 61.3 40.8 13.5 6.9 
			 2008 5,000 66.3 53.0 66.3 46.1 16.6 8.5 
			 2009 5,000 68.5 56.0 68.7 49.7 21.1 9.8 
			 2010 5,100 77.6 58.9 78.0 50.6 25.1 11.6 
			         
			 All children (3)        
			 2006 648,800 92.3 97.5 97.3 90.1 59.0 45.6 
			 2007 655,100 94.4 99.5 98.0 90.9 61.4 46.3 
			 2008 653,000 93.8 99.1 98.6 91.6 65.3 47.6 
			 2009 634,500 98.8 94.3 98.9 92.3 70.0 49.8 
			 2010 639,700 98.8 94.3 99.0 92.7 75.3 53.4 
			 (1) Children looked after continuously for at least 12 months as at 31 March excluding those children in respite care. (2) Number of eligible children based dh those aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August. (3) Figures (or all children are taken from Statistical First Release. GCSE and Equivalent Results in England, 2009/10 (Revised). Figures on GCSE entries are taken from equivalent earlier publications. Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. Source: CLA-NPD matched data 
		
	
	Information on the GCSE attainment of children looked after continuously for 12 months in 1997 is not available. The earliest data available are for 2000 and relate to all children looked after continuously at 30 September each year. These data include GNVQs but do not include any other GCSE equivalent qualifications. As these data have been derived from a different data source and includes a different cohort of children, the percentages given in table 2 are not directly comparable with those shown in table 1. Information on the percentage of children looked after continuously for 12 months at 30 September who achieved five or more A* to C grade GCSEs including English and mathematics or the percentage of these children entered for GCSEs is not available. The available information is shown in table 2.
	
		
			 Table 2: GCSE performance of looked-after children in Year 11 compared with all children, school years ending 30 September 2000 and 2001, England 
			 Numbers and percentages 
			  Looked-after children All children (1) 
			  Numbers Percentages (2) Percentages 
			  2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 
			 Number in Year 11 3,900 4,200 — — — — 
			 Number who sat at least 1 GCSE or GNVQ(3) 2,100 2,200 53.5 54.1 — — 
			        
			 Number who obtained at least:       
			 1 GCSE at grade A* to G or a GNVQ 1,900 2,100 40.2 49.6 94 95 
			 5 GCSE's at grade A* to G 1,400 1,400 35.5 33.1 89 90 
		
	
	
		
			 5 GCSE's at grade A* to C 280 330 7.3 8.0 49 48 
			 (1) Source: DfES statistical bulletin: GCSE/GNVQ and GCE A/ASA/CE/Advanced GNVQ Examination Results 2000/01—England. Issued May 2002. (2) Expressed as a percentage of all looked after children in Year 11. (3) DfES did not collect this data item for all children.

Children in Care: Reading

Edward Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of (a) looked after children and (b) other children achieved the expected standard in reading and writing at key stage 1 in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2010.

Tim Loughton: Information on the percentage of looked after children who achieve the expected standard in reading and writing in key stage 1 tests is available in table 1.1 of the Department's Statistical First Release, Outcomes for Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England, as at 31 March 2010. This shows the percentage of children looked after continuously for 12 months at 31 March who achieved at least level 2 in reading and writing key stage 1 tests for all years since 2006. Information on years prior to 2006 is not available from this data source. The publication can be found at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000978/index.shtml
	Information taken from table 1.1 is shown in table 1; this follows the current practice of comparing the academic achievement of children looked after continuously for 12 months with that of all children. Information on the key stage 1 performance of children who are not looked after can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Table 1: Eligibility and performance of children who have been looked after continuously for at least 12 months (1)  at key stage 1, includes comparisons with all children (2) . Years: 2006-10. Coverage: England 
			 Number/percentage 
			  2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Children looked after (1)      
			 Number eligible to sit key stage 1 tasks and tests(3) 1,700 1,500 1,500 1,400 1,400 
			 Percentage who achieved at least level 2(4) in the following:      
			 Reading 57 55 56 56 58 
			 Writing 50 48 49 49 51 
			       
			 All children (2)      
			 Number eligible to sit key stage 1 tasks and tests(3) 559,800 545,300 535,800 531,900 551,400 
			 Percentage who achieved at least level 2(4) in the following:      
			 Reading 84 84 84 84 85 
			 Writing 81 80 80 81 81 
			 (1) Children looked after continuously for at least 12 months as at 31 March excluding those children in respite care. (2) Figures for all children taken from Statistical First Release, National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 1 in England, 2009/10 (Provisional). (3) Number of eligible children based on those aged six at the start of the academic year, i.e. on 31 August. (4) Expected level for age group. Figures at key stage 1 are based on teacher assessments. (5) All numbers less than 1,000 are rounded to the nearest 10, otherwise they are rounded to the nearest 100. Source: CLA-NPD matched data 
		
	
	Information on the key stage 1 attainment of children looked after continuously for 12 months for years prior to 2006 relates to children looked after continuously at 30 September each year. Please note that because these data have been derived from a different data source and include a different cohort of children, the percentages given in table 2 are not directly comparable with those shown in table 1 above. The earliest year for which this information is available is 2000; this is shown in table 2.
	
		
			 Table 2: Eligibility and performance of looked-after children in key stage tasks and tests, compared with all children, school years ending 30 September 2000 and 2001. England 
			 Number and percentage 
			  Looked after children All children (1)   
			  Number Percentage Percentage Ratio QP7 (2) 
			 Year 2 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 2000 2001 
			 Number eligible to sit key stage 2 tasks and tests 2,000 2,100 — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Number who attained at least level 2(3) in the following:         
			 Reading task(4) 970 950 47.6 45.1 83 84 0.6 0.5 
			 Writing task 990 1,100 48.6 50.6 84 86 0.6 0.6 
			 (1 )Source: DfES bulletin ‘National curriculum assessments of 7, 11 and 14 year olds in England—2001’. (2) The proportion of looked after children attaining the target levels or better in each of the tested subjects in the National Curriculum Assessments tests, expressed as a ratio of the proportion of all children at that stage attaining the target level or better in the local education authority. (3) Target level for age group. (4) The ‘all children’ key stage 1 reading task figure is derived by DfES from an average of children attaining level 2 or above in the reading task and pupils attaining level 3 or above in the reading comprehension test, therefore cannot be directly compared with the reading task or reading comprehension test figures for looked after children. There was also a reading comprehension task in 2000. Figures shown for 2000 are for reading task only.

Freedom of Information Requests

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many requests under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 his Department received from (a) hon. Members from each political party and (b) members of the public in each year since the Act's entry into force.

Tim Loughton: The Department does not collect statistics about the background of individual requesters. This is because the Freedom of Information Act is applicant and motive blind and therefore it is not necessary to record or determine whether a requestor is a Member of Parliament or member of the public.
	The Ministry of Justice publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the volume, timeliness and outcome of information requests received by over 40 central Government bodies.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what responsibility he has for contributing to Government action against human trafficking; and what recent action he has taken in this regard.

Tim Loughton: The Department is working closely with the Home Office, other Government Departments and stakeholders on the development of a new human trafficking strategy. I am reviewing guidance which was issued by the previous Government on safeguarding children from trafficking, and am considering improved measures to protect trafficked children going missing from care. We have also provided a grant of £521,360 for 2011-12, and a further grant of £876,360 for 2012-13 conditional on meeting targets, for a Barnardo's project aimed at providing specialist support to sexually exploited or trafficked children. Additionally I sit on the Minister of State for Immigration's inter-departmental ministerial group on human trafficking.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change: Satellite Communications

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the contribution of Earth observation satellite technology in monitoring (a) climate change and (b) the impacts of climate change.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) welcomes the assessment and recommendations provided by the 2010 update of the “Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC” on climate observations, including those obtained by satellite technology, prepared by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) secretariat. A UK response to the 2010 Update is currently in preparation.
	DECC also welcomes the 2011 update of the satellite supplement to the GCOS implementation plan that is currently under way. The Department is well aware of the importance of Earth observation satellite technology in monitoring (a) climate change and (b) the impacts of climate change, and works closely with the UK Space Agency on such matters.

Energy: Seas and Oceans

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on licensing sea kite energy technology.

Gregory Barker: The Government are committed to supporting the development of the marine energy industry in the UK. The “sea kite” technology being developed by companies such as Minesto UK Ltd is just one of the many leading tidal energy technologies currently being developed in the UK and it has already received £350,000 support from the Carbon Trust to develop and deploy its first prototype at sea. If sea kite technologies can be successfully developed they could allow the utilisation of lower velocity tidal energy resource which cannot be used by more conventional designs.

Environment Protection

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has made an estimate of the average rate of return on investment for a company investing in low-carbon technologies.

Gregory Barker: A company's rate of return is often confidential and will depend on the nature and stage of investment and type of technology being invested in.
	An assessment of the impact on the cost of capital for low carbon technologies was undertaken as part of the Government's commitment to transform the UK's electricity system. This information is set out in the impact assessment published alongside the electricity market reform White Paper.
	The current bands set for the current Renewables Obligation were developed using assumed hurdle rates, (i.e. minimum rate of return required to invest) developed in 2007(1).
	More recent assessments of hurdle rates have been undertaken as part of a report produced by Arup in June 2011(2).
	Information regarding DECC's assumptions around the required rates of return under the Feed-In Tariffs scheme for different classes of investor is available in ‘Design of Feed-in Tariffs for sub-5MW electricity in Great Britain—Quantitative Analysis for DECC’(3), and for the Renewable Heat Incentive in the impact assessment published in March 2011(4).
	(1) Ernst and Young (2007), Impact of banding the Renewables Obligation: Costs of Electricity Production.
	(2) Arup, Review of the Generation Costs and Deployment Potential of Renewable Electricity Technologies in the UK, June 2011.
	(3) (Poyry/Element Energy, July 2009; available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/Renewable%20Electricity%20Financial%20Incentives/1_20090715135352_e_@@_RelateddocElementPoyryreport onquantitativeissuesinFITsdesignFINAL.pdf
	(4) DECC, Renewable Heat Incentive Impact Assessment, March 2011.

Environment Protection

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on steps to encourage research and development in low-carbon technologies by universities.

Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers regularly hold meetings with their counterparts in BIS to discuss a range of issues. The primary channel for BIS and DECC Ministers to engage on low-carbon research and development is through the Low Carbon Innovation Group. The group is co-chaired by the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), and myself, and includes representation from Research Councils UK.

Environment Protection

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Trades Union Congress and (b) industry groups on research and development for low-carbon technologies.

Gregory Barker: DECC publishes all meetings the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) has had with industry groups and organisations on its internet on a quarterly basis.
	DECC is also a member of Energy Research Partnership. The high level forum brings together key funders of low carbon innovation in Government, industry and academia, plus other interested parties, to work together towards shared goals.

Housing: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding was allocated to the City of York council for capital investment in housing stock through the Decent Homes programme in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
	Government investment in council-owned housing stock was primarily provided through the housing revenue account subsidy system in the form of local authorities supported capital expenditure, arms length management organisations supported borrowing allocations and major repairs allowance. In 2009-10 the City of York was allocated £1 million in local authorities supported capital expenditure and £5.13 million in major repairs allowance. In 2010-11 the city was allocated £5.34 million in major repairs allowance.

Renewable Energy

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the incentives are which the Government make available to energy companies to encourage the use of renewable energy.

Gregory Barker: The current financial mechanisms to incentivise renewable electricity are the renewables obligation (RO) and the feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme.
	Since its introduction in 2002, the RO has succeeded in more than tripling the level of large-scale renewable electricity in the UK from 1.8% in 2002 to 7% in 2010(1). It currently supports around 6.3GW of accredited capacity and is worth around £1.4 billion to the renewable electricity industry.
	The FITs scheme was launched in April 2010 to incentivise the deployment of small scale low carbon electricity generation. To date, over 44,800 FITs installations have been registered.
	The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is due to go ahead this year to support renewable heat.
	(1) On a renewables obligation basis.
	Source:
	Energy Trends, June 2011

Warm Front Scheme: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on the Warm Front scheme in York in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

Gregory Barker: The following table shows the total Warm Front spend in York(1) in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	
		
			  Spend (£) 
			 2009-10 674,588.82 
			 2010-11 896,277.50 
			 (1) The figures are for the local authority of York due to the constituency changing between 2009 and 2011.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Balkans: War Crimes

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the prosecution of persons alleged to have committed war crimes in the Balkans; and if he will make a statement.

William Hague: The UK is among the strongest supporters of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The tribunal's work to effectively prosecute war criminals is critical for regional reconciliation.
	Most notably, we welcome, very strongly, the recent arrest and transfer to The Hague of Ratko Mladic and we support the ICTY in its effective handling of that case.
	This is important for International Justice, and for the families of the victims of those terrible crimes. It is vital now, that the Serbian authorities continue to cooperate fully with the ICTY. Both in supporting the handling of existing trials—such as the notable cases of Vojislav Seselj and Radovan Karadzic. But also in continuing the search for the last ICTY remaining fugitive—Goran Hadzic.
	Equally, we note the successful prosecution of Croatian General Ante Gotovina sentenced on 15 April to 24 years for war crimes. We hope that this judgement, like all ICTY judgments, will be respected, while bearing in mind the possibility of an appeal.

BBC World Service: Finance

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has allocated ring-fenced funding to the BBC World Service Hindi shortwave service.

David Lidington: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 22 June 2011, Official Report, columns 14-16WS. In that statement, the Foreign Secretary welcomed the BBC's agreement that the World Service would be able to reinvest the reduction in their planned contribution to the BBC pension deficit to mitigate the impact on services of their budget reduction. One area they have identified as a priority for such funding is the continuation of the Hindi shortwave service. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not allocated any additional funding to the Hindi shortwave service.

Belarus: Politics and Government

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of reports of the actions of the Government of Belarus in relation to online dissent in that country.

William Hague: I am appalled at the increasingly repressive approach being taken by the authorities in Belarus. Opposition and independent media websites have been subjected to increasing numbers of cyber attacks, in particular before and after the so-called "silent" protests which have taken place throughout Belarus in recent weeks. I and the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), have made clear repeatedly to Belarus that basic human rights and freedom of expression must be respected.

Brahmaputra River: Hydroelectric Power

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the effects of hydroelectric and diversionary projects on the Brahmaputra River on downstream countries.

Jeremy Browne: We are aware of recent media reporting regarding hydroelectric and diversionary projects on the Brahmaputra river. However we have not received any specific reports of the effects of such projects. We understand that since 2002 India and China have signed a number of MOUs for the provision of hydrological information on the Brahmaputra river, and that the two sides have set up a joint expert level mechanism to discuss co-operation. We continue to monitor water disputes in the region, recognising that these are a potential source of tension.

British Nationals Abroad: Homicide

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training is offered to officials in his Department to deal with the families of UK victims of murder and manslaughter abroad.

Jeremy Browne: All consular staff in London and abroad undergo pass/fail training before taking up their duties. Much of this is delivered by professional external trainers and includes specific modules on death in violent and suspicious circumstances and bereavement. Staff refresh their skills through attending consular workshops held regularly at posts around the world.

Foreign Relations

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any meetings are scheduled between members of the Government acting in a private capacity and foreign Heads of State and Government.

William Hague: No.

GCHQ: Relocation

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) original estimate and (b) final cost was in real terms of the 1997 relocation of GCHQ in Cheltenham.

William Hague: The cost of the Government Communications Headquarter's (GCHQ) whole new accommodation programme was approximately £1.2 billion. This included the building cost, maintenance and running of the building and the provision of services over 30 years. This was in line with initial estimates.
	There was a further £308 million to meet the costs of the technical transition.

Human Rights: Internet

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of each representation he has received from human rights organisations on the issue of internet access in other countries since May 2010.

William Hague: This Government are committed to supporting freedom of expression on the internet and will continue to encourage states that restrict access to online media to uphold their international human rights commitments.
	We do not keep a central record of all representations received, including those on the issue of internet access in other countries. However, a sub-group of my Advisory Group on Human Rights has been set up under the chairmanship of the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton Deane (Mr Browne), specifically to advise the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on freedom of expression on the internet. This group will hold its first meeting on 20 July, and will include representatives from relevant human rights organisations.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what responsibility he has for contributing to Government action against human trafficking; and what recent action he has taken in this regard.

Jeremy Browne: The Government made tackling human trafficking a priority in the coalition programme for government. The Home Department leads this work and will shortly be publishing the Government's strategy on human trafficking. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office strongly welcomes its publication and has been involved in its development. We work, often with colleagues from other Departments, with governments and others in source and transit countries to identify and prevent human trafficking, to protect its victims and to prosecute its perpetrators. We are proud that our work to date has received praise from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, and will continue to work with the Home Office and others to combat human trafficking.

Libya: Armed Conflict

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the (a) number and (b) seniority of defectors from the Gaddafi Government in Libya since the beginning of Operation Ellamy.

William Hague: The number of Libyans who have deserted or defected from Gaddafi's regime is steadily increasing. It is hard to give a definitive number, but recent departures include five generals and two colonels, reported along with soldiers of other ranks; the Libyan ambassadors in Rome and Berlin; and 17 members of the Libyan football team.
	Since the beginning of Operation Ellamy, the Foreign Minister, Musa Kusa, the Labour Minister Ali Al-Amin Mansur and the head of the National Oil Corporation, Shukri Ghanem, are the most senior members of the regime to have left Gaddafi. These departures are a measure of the growing pressure on those close to Gaddafi—both from sustained military action to prevent the regime attacking its own people, and from UN and EU sanctions.

Libya: Arms Trade

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the supplying of weapons to rebel fighters in Libya by the French Government; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: holding answer 12 July 2011
	We are aware of reports that the French Government decided to supply some weapons along with other essential supplies to the Libyan Opposition in the Jebel Nafusa resisting attacks by the Gaddafi regime. We agree the United Nations resolutions allow in certain limited circumstances weapons to be provided. The UK has focused on supplying other forms of equipment.

Libya: British Nationals Abroad

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) consideration was given to and (b) a costing sought for (i) chartering a reserve aircraft and (ii) ensuring that contracts had a redundancy capacity in case of mechanical fault when chartering evacuation flights from Libya.

William Hague: Throughout the Libya evacuation, our top priority was the safe and quick evacuation of British nationals and other eligible persons. The UK instigated the military multinational evacuation cell, based in Malta, to co-ordinate rescue efforts throughout the crisis. Whenever we sought a charter flight to support the evacuation, our brokers would return a number of options from different air operating companies. We made a selection on the basis of seat capacity, location of aircraft and price. Once our selected charter was confirmed, the broker informed the unsuccessful bidders. Because of the way the charter market works, it is not possible to hold other flights on reserve without paying significant costs. Following the FCO Review of Consular Evacuation Procedures, which I lodged in the Library on 4 July, we are examining the most cost-effective way of securing redundancy capacity, if we need it in the future.

Palestinians: Arms Trade

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on allegations that UK-manufactured radar systems were found by Israeli defence forces in the cargo of the ship Victoria.

David Lidington: holding answer 12 July 2011
	I have received reports that UK-produced radar components were found on the ship Victoria. This is very concerning. The UK operates an extremely rigorous export licensing system which includes consideration of end users and end use. Following an investigation of the reports with the manufacturer in this case we are working to ensure that new measures are implemented to prevent similar allegations in future.

Palestinians: International Assistance

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Greek Government on the Gaza aid flotilla.

David Lidington: Officials from our embassy in Athens have discussed the matter of the Gaza flotilla with the Greek authorities and have relayed to them the United Kingdom's position on this. Our travel advice for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories gives clear guidance against any attempt to enter Gaza by sea. We continue to advise against participating in flotillas or overland convoys to Gaza because of the risks involved.

Palestinians: Politics and Government

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on UN consideration of Palestinian statehood.

William Hague: The unprecedented changes of the Arab Spring make progress on the peace process more urgent than ever. President Obama has called for the parties to return to the table for negotiations based on 1967 borders with agreed swaps and security arrangements that protect Israel and respect Palestinian sovereignty. The UK backs this call.
	We urge all parties to seize this moment of opportunity and return as soon as possible to direct negotiations and we have regular meetings with our EU counterparts. As I told all sides during my visit to the region on 27 June to 1 July, we do not know if there will be a resolution in September, or what it will look like—so we have not made any decisions. Instead we urge both sides to look towards the things that are necessary to get a negotiated settlement and to return to talks as soon as possible.

Sikhs: Clothing

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on steps to ensure appropriate respect for the wearing of the Sikh turban.

Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), on 11 July 2011, Official Report, column 125-26W.
	My Department leads on engagement with faith communities and has been facilitating discussions between the Department for Transport and a range of bodies representing British Sikhs, in relation to the approach on this issue adopted at British airports.

Syria

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department met the hon. Member for Braintree (i) before and (ii) after his meeting with President Assad of Syria in June 2011 to discuss the meeting.

William Hague: I have not met the Lord Commissioner of Her Majesty's Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Braintree (Mr Newmark), to discuss his visit to Syria. However, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), spoke briefly to the hon. Member for Braintree both before and after the visit and they have also spoken in the margins of a meeting in the House. No other Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister has met the hon. Member for Braintree, although following his return from Syria he has met FCO officials.

Syria: Oil

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate discussions with the governments of (a) Germany, (b) Italy, (c) France and (d) the Netherlands to urge them to cease importing oil from Syria.

Alistair Burt: holding answer 12 July 2011
	The UK has been at the forefront of the international effort to introduce targeted sanctions against Syria on those responsible for and associated with violent repression in Syria.
	We will, with our EU and international partners, continue to keep up the pressure on those responsible for the violence and repression.
	We are in constant discussion with our EU partners about ways to increase this pressure.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has discussed with her counterparts in (a) Norway and (b) Sweden measures to reduce the level of alcohol consumption by the public.

Anne Milton: I have been asked to reply.
	I met my counterpart from Norway, Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen, at an informal European Union Council of Health Ministers from 4 to 5 April 2011. At her request, we discussed the possible renewal of the derogation for Norway from the EU Audiovisual media services Directive, which has permitted Norway to continue to ban advertising of alcohol.
	Departmental officials have taken part in discussions on reducing alcohol misuse and harm within the EU Commission's Committee on National Policy and Action in World Health Organization European Region discussions.
	I meet many Health Ministers at EU Health Council informally and discuss a number of issues.

Association of Chief Police Officers: Finance

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers on its budget for 2011-12.

Theresa May: holding answer 4 July 2011
	I hold regular discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) about a range of policing issues, the role of ACPO and its budget.

Biometrics: Olympic Games 2012

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans her Department has to collect biometric data on (a) members of the public, (b) athletes and (c) officials for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games;
	(2)  for how long biometric data on (a) members of the public, (b) athletes and (c) officials for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held;
	(3)  what steps will be taken to destroy biometric data collected for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency (UKBA) collects fingerprints and facial images from visa nationals as part of the business as usual process when they apply for a visa.
	UKBA will continue to collect fingerprints and facial images from visa nationals during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This process will apply to members of the public who are visa nationals and wish to visit the UK to attend the games.
	Olympic and Paralympic Games family members such as athletes, coaches and officials will be required to obtain accreditation for the Olympic or Paralympic Games before participating in the games, and will undergo a series of biographical security checks undertaken by the Home Office prior to being granted accreditation and receiving an Olympic or Paralympic identity and accreditation card.
	As a result of commitments given in the host city contract for the games, certain visa national games family members will be able to use the Olympic and Paralympic identity and accreditation card in lieu of a visa when it is presented with a valid national passport or other acceptable travel document during games time. Consequently, they will not need to apply for a visa to enter the UK and provide their fingerprints and facial image prior to travelling to the UK.
	UKBA will therefore collect the fingerprints and facial images at the UK border from visa national games family members to maintain a proportionate level of its usual security checks on this group of people during the games. The agency will only collect the fingerprints and facial image of visa national games family members that it identifies as not already possessing.
	We are currently taking secondary legislation through Parliament to provide UKBA with the power to collect the fingerprints and facial images of the visa national games family members who are able to use their accreditation card in lieu of visa.
	UKBA is also seeking to collect visa national games family members fingerprints and facial images before they travel to UK to take part in the games to reduce the amount of biometrics it needs to collect at the UK border during games time. A special visit visa, for which fingerprints and facial images have to be provided, is currently available to likely games family members, and we are also seeking to collect visa national games family members fingerprints and facial images on a voluntary basis overseas prior to games time.
	The fingerprints and facial images collected from visa national games family members will be stored for 10 years then destroyed. If prior to the lapse of 10 years the person becomes a British citizen their fingerprints and facial image will be destroyed. This retention period mirrors UKBA's business as usual biometrics retention policy.

Crime Prevention: Young People

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department plans to allocate to the Positive Futures programme in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

Theresa May: holding answer 7 July 2011
	The Home Office has announced its intention to provide £5 million in 2012-13 to fund the frontline delivery of Positive Futures. No decisions have been made about levels of funding beyond that.

Crime: Business

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to reduce crimes against businesses.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 7 July 2011
	The Home Office takes all crimes against businesses seriously and works with a range of organisations and partnerships to tackle business crime.
	The Home Office also works closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Acquisitive Crime Programme Board and its sub groups to deliver across a range of crime types that affect businesses, in particular Cash and Valuables in Transit Robbery, Commercial Robbery and Metal Theft.
	The Home Office co-chairs the National Retail Crime Steering Group, the national partnership to tackle crimes against retailers.
	The Steering Group is delivering a work plan focused on crime priorities affecting retailers. This includes strengthening local partnerships between retailers and law enforcement agencies; taking steps to develop safe working and trading environments; supporting designing out crime techniques; and working with the criminal justice system to ensure that effective sanctions and deterrents to retail crime are available.

Deportation: Offenders

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals who have (a) served time in UK prisons and (b) been removed from the UK after serving time in UK prisons were (i) refused and (ii) granted entry into the UK in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: This answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Entry Clearances: Russia

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to prohibit the issue of visas to Russian officials alleged to be responsible for the (a) arrest, (b) torture and (c) death of Sergei Magnitsky.

Damian Green: As the Prime Minister has made clear, the Government remain very concerned by the circumstances surrounding Mr Magnitsky's death. It is important that the Russian authorities carry out a thorough and transparent investigation, given the serious allegations that have been raised. The Government welcomed the recent publication of the conclusions of the report by the Presidential Council for Human Rights, and hopes that the official investigation into this case announced by President Medvedev in November 2009 will soon be completed.
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), does have the power to exclude foreign nationals whose presence in the UK she judges would not be conducive to the public good. Furthermore, all foreign nationals seeking entry to the UK must satisfy either an entry clearance officer overseas or an immigration officer at the port of arrival that they fully meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
	However, the duty of confidentiality means that the Government are unable to discuss the details of individual immigration cases.

Human Trafficking

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the principal countries of origin of victims of human trafficking into the UK.

Damian Green: The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) collects Information on a victim's nationality rather than their country of origin. An analysis of the NRM data from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2011 shows that the following are the top seven nationalities for referrals, reasonable grounds and conclusive grounds decisions:
	Referral
	1. Nigerian
	2. Chinese
	3. Vietnamese
	4. Romanian
	5. Czech
	6. Slovak
	7. UK
	Reasonable  g rounds
	1. Nigerian
	2. Vietnamese
	3. Chinese
	4. Romanian
	5. Czech
	6. Slovak
	7. UK
	Conclusive  g rounds
	1. Romanian
	2. Nigerian
	3. Czech
	4. UK
	5. Slovak
	6. Chinese
	7. Vietnamese

Human Trafficking: Children

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism as trafficked in the last 12 months; how many of those children have (a) seen (i) a qualified social worker and (ii) an advocate and (b) a nominated independent reviewing officer; and how many of them have lost contact with authorities before their case can be determined.

Damian Green: Between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011 a total of 217 children believed to be trafficked were referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).
	Of the 217 referrals of children to the NRM, seven absconded/went missing before a Conclusive Grounds Decision was made.
	Information requested on the numbers of children who have seen a qualified social worker, an advocate and an independent reviewing officer is not centrally collected. However, all children who become looked after must be allocated a social worker and an independent reviewing officer. They should also have access to an advocate.

Identity Cards: Costs

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs to the public purse, in real terms, under the previous Administration, had been incurred in respect of the planned identity card scheme.

Damian Green: Between 2003 and March 2006, the Home Office spent a total of £41 million developing the policy, legislation and business case for ID cards. Responsibility for the National Identity Service (NIS) was transferred to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) on its establishment in April 2006 and IPS spent a total of £251 million on set-up costs between April 2006 and March 2010.
	Around £8 million was spent on delivering ID cards from their launch in October 2009 until the decommissioning of the NIS.

Immigration: Housing

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the effect on social housing of any change to the habitual residence list.

Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
	The habitual residence test requires a person to demonstrate links with the United Kingdom and a sufficient degree of social and economic integration to justify eligibility for social housing. There are no plans to change the habitual residence test.

Knives: Crime

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2011, Official Report, column 1134W, on knives: crime, which voluntary and community organisations received funding from her Department in 2010-11 for the purposes of preventing young people's involvement in knife and gun crime.

Theresa May: holding answer 11 July 2011
	In 2010-11 the Home Office made funding available to 143 voluntary and community organisations working to prevent young people's involvement in knife and gun crime through the Community Fund. A list of the successful applicants to the fund can be found on the Home Office website.

Police Custody

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department was notified of the High Court ruling related to Greater Manchester Police vs Salford Magistrates Court.

Theresa May: holding answer 11 July 2011
	The Home Office was first notified of the oral ruling in this case on 25 May 2011. We received a written copy of the High Court Judgment from Greater Manchester Police on 17 June 2011.

Raed Salah

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether Sheikh Raed Salah was granted an entry clearance visa in June 2011;
	(2)  on what date the decision was taken to exclude Sheikh Raed Salah;
	(3)  on what date Sheikh Raed Salah was informed that he had been excluded from the UK; and what form that notification took;
	(4)  whether she was informed by the UK Border Agency that Sheikh Raed Salah had not been excluded successfully.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  (a) on what date and (b) at what time she signed the order banning Sheikh Raed Salah from the UK;
	(2)  what representations she received on the activities of Sheikh Raed Salah before she made the order banning him from entering the UK; and from whom each such representation was received.

Theresa May: holding answer 4 July 2011
	The Government do not routinely comment on individual exclusion cases but in this instance I have considered it important to do so, and he had already put the details of his case into the public domain.
	Raed Salah was excluded from the UK on 23 June as a result of numerous statements he had made, details of which were obtained from a variety of sources. As an Israeli national Mr Salah does not require a visa and he managed to enter the UK. He was on the Home Office watch list and should have been refused entry as a result of my exclusion decision. Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary has investigated how this happened.
	Mr Salah has been detained and the UK Border Agency is making arrangements to remove him.

Raed Salah

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  on what date and at what time the UK Border Agency informed her Department that Sheikh Raed Salah had most recently entered the UK;
	(2)  on what date the UK Border Agency was informed that Sheikh Raed Salah was excluded from the UK;
	(3)  on what date Sheikh Raed Salah most recently entered the UK;
	(4)  in what country Sheikh Raed Salah was present on the date he was informed that he was excluded from the UK;
	(5)  on what date she was made aware that Sheikh Raed Salah was visiting the UK.

Theresa May: holding answer 5 July 2011
	The Government do not routinely comment on individual exclusion cases but in this instance I have considered it is important to do so, and he had already put the details of his case into the public domain.
	Raed Salah was excluded from the UK on 23 June as a result of numerous statements he had made, details of which were obtained from a variety of sources. As an Israeli national Mr Salah does not require a visa and he managed to enter the UK. He was on the Home Office watch list and should have been refused entry as a result of my exclusion decision. Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary has investigated how this happened.
	Mr Salah has been detained and the UK Border Agency is making arrangements to remove him.

Theft: Bicycles

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department is taking steps to improve the provision of security equipment for bicycles.

James Brokenshire: Police forces locally are responsible for dealing with the problem of bicycle theft. They can offer effective crime prevention advice to the public on measures to secure their belongings. Bicycle owners have an important part to play in ensuring that their bicycles are locked and secure at all times when not in their possession.
	The Home Office Design and Technology Alliance worked with partners to sponsor a design challenge to encourage solutions to bike theft. The Home Office's new Forum for Innovation in Crime Prevention will continue to focus on new challenges and solutions to crime.

INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY COMMITTEE

Members: Complaints

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the policy of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is on naming a complainant against an hon. Member in the published determination of the complaint.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Compliance Officer for IPSA, who is statutorily independent of IPSA's executive branch. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Luke March, Com pliance Officer, dated July 2011
	As the Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the policy of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is on naming a complainant against an hon. Member in the published determination of the complaint.
	There is no legal obligation on the Compliance Officer to publish the names of complainants.

Members: Complaints

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Compliance Officer is independent of the Authority's executive branch; for what reason the Compliance Officer conveyed to the Chairman of the Authority information relating to the number of notices of preliminary investigation which he had issued; and with how many other persons the Compliance Officer has communicated information relating to his office.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Compliance Officer for IPSA, who is statutorily independent of IPSA's executive branch. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Luke March, Compliance Officer, dated July 2011 
	As the Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for what reason the Compliance Officer conveyed to the Chairman of the Authority information relating to the number of notices of preliminary investigation which he had issued; and with how many others he has communicated information relating to his office.
	The Compliance Officer reports directly to the Chairman of IPSA's Board. In accordance with the Guidance to the Compliance Officer determined by IPSA under section 9A of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 “the Compliance Officer shall notify the MP and IPSA that a Preliminary Investigation is to be undertaken to ascertain if there is a reason for the Compliance Officer to believe that the MP may have been paid an amount under the Scheme that should not have been allowed”.
	The number of investigations has also been given to the National Audit Office.

Members: Complaints

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority what the average cost to the public purse has been of investigating each complaint made to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to date.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Compliance Officer for IPSA, who is statutorily independent of IPSA's executive branch. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Luke March, Compliance Officer, dated July 2011
	As the Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the average cost to the public purse has been of investigating each complaint made to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to date.
	As the recently appointed Compliance Officer, I am as yet unable to identify the precise cost of each investigation. I am, however, acutely mindful of the proportionality of our investigations, whilst recognising that I am required to act in accordance with statute.

Members: Complaints

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority what target the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has set for (a) the issue of a notice of preliminary investigation by its Compliance Officer following (i) a public complaint and (ii) work carried out in his office, (b) concluding the investigation; and (c) conveying the result of the investigation to (A) the hon. or right hon. Member concerned and (B) the person who made the complaint.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Compliance Officer for IPSA, who is statutorily independent of IPSA's executive branch. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Luke March, Compliance Officer, dated July 2011
	As the Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what target the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has set for (a) the issue of a notice of preliminary investigation by its Compliance Officer following (i) a public complaint and (ii) work carried out in his office, (b) concluding the investigation; and (c) conveying the result of the investigation to (A) the hon. or right hon. Member concerned and (B) the person who made the complaint.
	As the independent Compliance Officer for IPSA, I am responsible for setting my own targets
	(a) (i) Each complaint is assessed on a case by case basis.
	(ii) A range of targets exist for different activities carried out by my office.
	(b) The target for completing an investigation is 120 days (sixty days for the preliminary investigation and sixty days for the substantive investigation).
	(c) No target has been set for conveying the result of an investigation to (A) the honourable or right honourable Member concerned or (B) the person who made the complaint. However, I would endeavour to relay the result to all parties as quickly as possible.

Members: Complaints

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2011, Official Report, column 587W, on Members: complaints, on what dates the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Compliance Office issued each of the notices of preliminary investigation arising from the work carried out by its office.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Compliance Officer for IPSA, who is statutorily independent of IPSA's executive branch. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Luke March, Compliance Officer, dated July 2011
	As the Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking on what dates the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Compliance Office issued each of the notices of preliminary investigations arising from the work carried out by its office.
	The first notices of preliminary investigation were issued on 13 April 2011.

Members: Complaints

Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority on what dates the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Compliance Officer (a) commenced and (b) concluded his investigations in respect of notices served following the complaints received on (i) 2 December 2010, (ii) 20 December 2010, (iii) 21 December 2010, (iv) 16 January 2011 and (v) 9 February 2011.

Charles Walker: IPSA, who is statutorily independent of IPSA's executive branch. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Luke March, Compliance Officer, dated July 2011
	As the Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking on what dates the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Compliance Officer (a) commenced and (b) concluded investigations in respect of notices served following the complaints received on (i) 2 December 2010, (ii) 20 December 2010, (iii) 21 December 2010, (iv) 16 January 2011 and (v) 9 February 2011
	For investigations commenced on 13 April 2011, all cases remain open with the exception of the complaint of 21 December 2010, where the preliminary investigation has concluded.

Schemes

Adam Afriyie: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what definition of public confidence the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority uses in assessing the effectiveness of its schemes.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	Letter from Andrew McDonald,  dated  June 2011
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what definition of public confidence the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority uses in assessing the effectiveness of its schemes.
	There is no established standard definition of public confidence in political science. IPSA has therefore taken the approach to interpret it as meaning in respect of our schemes, confidence amongst the population at large, as perceived subjectively by each individual, that IPSA by means of a) clear, published rules on MPs' expenses, b) IPSA's rigorous governance and processes and c) transparency around IPSA's work and MPs' expense claims, is dispersing public funds efficiently and effectively to support MPs in carrying out their parliamentary functions.

Work Experience

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many interns the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has on (a) casual and (b) fixed-term contracts.

Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
	Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated June 2011
	As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many interns the independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has on (a) casual and (b) fixed-term contracts.
	IPSA does not employee any interns, either on a casual or on a fixed-term basis.

TREASURY

Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of funds generated from the Crown Estate was spent on the development and installation of low-carbon technologies in the last year for which figures are available.

Justine Greening: During 2010-11 the Crown Estate's capital expenditure on the facilitation and implementation of low carbon technologies was nearly £20 million.

Conditions of Employment

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what uses his Department has made of the annual survey of hours and earnings data produced by the Office for National Statistics in the last three years.

Justine Greening: Officials across the Treasury make occasional use of the annual survey of hours and earnings data to inform policy development. As there is no single user of these data at the Treasury, to answer this question in full would entail disproportionate costs.

Loans: Republic of Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the sum to be contributed by the UK to financial stabilisation of the Republic of Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of Northern Ireland of such contributions.

Mark Hoban: The international financial assistance package for Ireland agreed in December 2010 included: a €22.5 billion loan from the IMF, of which €7.2 billion has been disbursed; a €22.5 billion loan from the EFSM, of which €11.4 billion has been disbursed; a €17.5 billion loan from the EFSF, of which €3.6 billion has been disbursed; and, €5 billion of bilateral loans from the UK, Sweden and Denmark.
	The UK's exposure breaks down as follows:
	A bilateral loan of £3.227 billion is available to Ireland. The loan cannot be drawn until after the approval of the third quarterly review of Ireland's Memorandum of Understanding with the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission. The review is expected to take place in August.
	The European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM) is financed by the European Commission raising funds on capital markets, guaranteed by the EU Budget. There is no direct impact on the EU Budget from any such borrowing by the Commission. Only in the event that a beneficiary member state defaults on loan repayments would the EU Budget be adversely affected. In those circumstances, member states would be liable for a share based on their contribution to the EU Budget at that time. Contributions to the EU Budget vary over time, mainly driven by the member states’ share in the EU's Gross National Income. For this reason, it is not possible to state exactly the UK liability. As an illustrative example, based on contributions to the 2010 EU Budget, the UK's share would be approximately 14%.
	It is not possible to provide an estimate of the UK's contribution to specific IMF programmes. The UK contributes funds to the IMF as a whole rather than to any country-specific IMF programme. Our ultimate exposure to any IMF lending programme would be in line with our quota shareholding, i.e. around 4.5%.
	It is in our national interest that the Irish economy is successful and its banking system is stable. Ireland accounts for 6% of Britain's total exports—we export more to Ireland than to Brazil, Russia, India and China put together. By offering Ireland a bilateral loan, Britain is recognising the important economic relationship between Britain and Ireland, including between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Public Sector: Pay

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of his communications to local authorities on the increase in the pay of public sector workers whose income does not exceed £21,000.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 11 July 2011
	Local Government pay is a matter for free collective bargaining between local authority employers and unions, primarily through the National Joint Council.
	The Chancellor has had no communication with local authorities regarding the increase in pay of public sector workers whose income does not exceed £21,000.

VAT: Tax Rates and Bands

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effects on the (a) tourism, (b) heritage and (c) sporting industries of the increase in the rate of value added tax.

David Gauke: No specific assessment has been made of the economic impact of the VAT rate increase on these sectors.

WALES

Energy

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with (a) the First Minister of Wales and (b) Ministers at the Department of Energy and Climate Change on devolving decision-making on consents for energy projects with a generating capacity up to 100 megawatts; and if she will publish the minutes of any such meetings;
	(2)  what her policy is on the devolution of decision-making on consents for electricity projects with a generating capacity up to 100 megawatts; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan) and I have had a number of informal discussions with Ministers at the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the First Minister on a range of issues relating to energy policy including consents for energy projects. As these were informal discussions, no minutes were taken.
	The Government shares the view of the previous administration that the system of consents for electricity projects with a generating capacity in excess of 50 megawatts should be one that minimises delay and commands investor confidence. This is most effectively achieved by a common consents regime for major infrastructure in England and Wales.

Ministerial Meetings

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what (a) meetings and (b) other engagements (i) Ministers and (ii) special advisers in her Department had which were attended by Mr Andrew Coulson (A) between 12 May 2010 and 21 January 2011 and (B) since 21 January 2011;
	(2)  what (a) meetings and (b) other engagements (i) Ministers and (ii) special advisers in her Department have attended since her appointment which were also attended by (A) representatives, (B) journalists and (C) other employees of (1) News International and its subsidiary organisations including newspapers, (2) News Corporation and its subsidiary organisations and (3) BSkyB.

David Jones: As has been the practice of previous Administrations information relating to internal meetings, discussions and advice is not normally discussed.
	I refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister’s statement to the House of earlier today.

Renewable Energy

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had on the development of marine and tidal energy generation in Wales.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), and I have discussed the development of marine and tidal generation in Wales with the Minister of State for Energy, the First Minister for Wales and a variety of interested parties.
	We believe that Wales has a vital role to play in generating marine and tidal energy, as the Government's approval of the 1.2 MW 'Deltastream' test device situated off the coast of Pembrokeshire demonstrates.

Renewable Energy

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether she has discussed with Ministers in the Department of Energy and Climate Change the development of low-carbon energy technologies in Wales; and if she will publish the minutes of any such meetings.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), and I have had a number of informal discussions with Ministers from the Department of Energy and Climate Change on energy policy, and in particular the development of low-carbon technologies in Wales. As these were informal discussions, no minutes were taken.

Welfare State: Reform

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  if she will discuss with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions the effect of planned welfare reforms on recipients of incapacity benefit in Wales;
	(2)  what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effect on people in Wales of the Government's proposed welfare reforms.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan) has had, and will continue to have, discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), on a range of measures included in our programme for welfare reform.
	The Welfare Reform Bill, introduced in the Commons on 16 February 2011, proposes the most fundamental reforms to the social security system for 60 years. It will deliver a system throughout Wales and Britain that is simpler, fairer and ensures that work always pays.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Bankruptcy

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) businesses and (b) individuals filed for bankruptcy in (i) York, (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber and (iii) England in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: The Insolvency Service does not compile figures for bankruptcy petitions; statistics for orders made at this level of geography are available from 2000; the latest available figures currently are those for 2009. The additional breakdown into those bankruptcies as a result of trading debts (business bankruptcies) and those among other individuals (consumers) is only readily available from 2007. The available statistics are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Table 1: Bankruptcies in York, Yorkshire and the Humber, England: 2000-09 (1) 
			  York (Unitary Authority) Yorkshire and the Humber (GOR) England 
			  Traders Consumers Total Traders Consumers Total Traders Consumers Total 
			 2000 n/a n/a 61 n/a n/a 2,163 n/a n/a 17,537 
			 2001 n/a n/a 55 n/a n/a 2,573 n/a n/a 19,965 
			 2002 n/a n/a 66 n/a n/a 2,603 n/a n/a 20,891 
			 2003 n/a n/a 71 n/a n/a 2,882 n/a n/a 24,838 
			 2004 n/a n/a 103 n/a n/a 3,431 n/a n/a 32,223 
			 2005 n/a n/a 134 n/a n/a 4,270 n/a n/a 43,093 
			 2006 n/a n/a 214 n/a n/a 5,812 n/a n/a 57,564 
			 2007 18 167 185 661 5,294 5,955 6,433 52,802 59,235 
			 2008 27 171 198 697 5,963 6,660 7,425 54,570 61,995 
			 2009 28 208 236 855 6,374 7,229 8,902 59,587 68,489 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Where bankrupt has provided a valid postcode (from 87.6% in 2000 rising to 97.1% in 2009).

Business: Loans

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in York received Government guarantees on bank loans under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (a) between May 2009 and May 2010 and (b) between May 2010 and May 2011; and what the total monetary value of the loans guaranteed was in each case.

Mark Prisk: In the period May 2009 to May 2010, there were 16 Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) loans to businesses in York with a drawn down loan value of £0.94 million. Between May 2010 and April 2011, there were 13 EFG loans to businesses in York with a drawn down value of £1.58 million. A full breakdown by each period follows:
	16 EFG  l oans between May 2009 and April 2010
	£96,663.00
	£24,000.00
	£7,000.00
	£83,230.00
	£81,200.00
	£25,250.00
	£24,673.80
	£20,300.00
	£36,440.08
	£32,327.75
	£50,500.00
	£47,000.00
	£12,750.00
	£41,100.00
	£350,000.00
	£10,175.00
	Total loans £0.94 million
	13 EFG  l oans between May 2010 and April 2011
	£20,400.00
	£51,000.00
	£107,060.00
	£850,000.00
	£60,900.00
	£22,000.00
	£150,000.00
	£10,000.00
	£120,000.00
	£55,550.00
	£25,375.00
	£30,000.00
	£75,617.50
	Total loans £1.58 million

Business: Loans

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent assessment is of the level of bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses in (a) Wales and (b) Islwyn constituency.

Mark Prisk: We collect data from the four largest retail banks on lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is published by the Bank of England in its quarterly “Trends in Lending” publication; further details can be found at:
	www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/other/monetary/trendsinlending.htm
	Additionally, the British Banking Association's Business Finance Taskforce has brought together leading banks to commission an independent and authoritative study of SME finance and banking relationships. The first instalment of this quarterly report was published on 11 July as the SME Finance Monitor, and can be found at:
	http://www.bdrc.co.uk/business-issues/sme-finance-monitor/sme-finance-monitor-reports

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many regulations his Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses.

Mark Prisk: In the six months after 1 September 2010, 11 regulations have been introduced which do not impose costs to business.
	In the six months prior to 1 September 2010, seven regulations have been introduced which do not impose costs to business.
	The Government's policy is to consider alternatives to regulation. A list of regulatory measures introduced in the first half of 2011 can be found in the Statement of New Regulation in the Libraries of the House.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department has (a) introduced and (b) removed since 1 September 2010; what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was; and what regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010.

Mark Prisk: The one-in one-out regulatory management system, although announced in September, did not come into force until January 2011.
	A list of regulatory measures introduced or removed in the first half of 2011 can be found in the Statement of New Regulation in the Libraries of the House.
	The following regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address emergencies. These have zero net effect to business and the economy;
	The Export Control (Amendment) (No.3) Order 2011 (SI 2011//1127)
	This Introduced new controls on the export to the US of certain specified human and veterinary medicinal products which can be used to execute prisoners on death row by lethal injection: thiopental sodium, pancuronium bromide, potassium chloride and sodium pentobarbital—came into force 16 April 2011
	The Export Control (Amendment) Order 2011 (SI 2011/543)
	The Libyan bank notes—came into force 27 February 2011
	The Export Control (Libya) Order 2011 (SI 2011/825)
	Provides for enforcement of certain provisions of EU sanctions against Libya—came into force 18 March 2011.
	The Export Control (Syria and Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2011 (SI 2011/1304)
	Provides for enforcement of certain provisions of EU sanctions against Syria—came into force 25 May 2011.

Business Surveys

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when his Department next plans to undertake a small business survey; and what schedule he has put in place for small business surveys to 2015.

Edward Davey: The most recent BIS small business survey was published in May 2011 and current practice is to undertake this large scale survey every two years.
	In addition BIS undertakes a range of regular surveys and other research relating to small businesses, details of which can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/enterprise-and-business-support/analytical-unit/research-and-evaluation

Business: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the number of companies in Yorkshire and the Humber that exported goods or services to (a) other EU countries and (b) non-EU countries (i) between May 2009 and May 2010 and (ii) between May 2010 and 2011.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Number of companies exporting goods from Yorkshire and The Humber: 2009-11 
			  2009  2010  2011 
			  Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total 2009 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total 2010 Q1 
			 Exporting to EU 1,390 1,364 1,356 1,405 1,597 1,379 1,374 1,410 1,436 1,635 1,386 
			 Exporting to non-EU 3,169 3,355 3,207 3,290 4,994 3,158 3,323 3,421 3,380 4,939 3,158 
			 Total Exporter Count 3,559 3,686 3,530 3,630 5,280 3,494 3,630 3,746 3,736 5,231 3,509 
			 Notes: 1. Only those companies trading above the Intrastat threshold are included under ‘Exporting to EU’. Companies below this threshold do not have to make Intrastat trade declarations to HMRC. 2. All counts are based on the Regional Trade Statistics (RTS) methodology. 3. The RTS is published quarterly, Q1 is January-March; Q2 is April-June; Q3 is July-September; and Q4 is October-December. 4. The latest RTS publication is first quarter (Q1) 2011. 5. Where quarterly company counts are indicated, the figures reflect the number of companies active in that quarter. The annual total company counts do not correspond to the sum of the quarterly company counts, but to the count of unique companies active at any time during the year. Source: HM Revenue and Customs, Regional Trade Statistics (RTS) 
		
	
	The data supplied relate only to companies that have traded in goods.

Special Advisers

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what expenses were claimed by (a) paid and (b) unpaid special advisers working in his Department in the last 12 months.

Edward Davey: Expense claims by special advisers during the period 13 May 2010 to 31 March 2011 amount to £681.28.
	The Department has no unpaid special advisers.

Departmental Offices

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the capacity of his Department's new local offices to cover more than one administrative region in England.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 12 July 2011
	The BIS Local teams' geographic coverage is based on Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) geography. In areas which span more than one previous administrative region, the teams have dual locations in order to provide the most effective coverage within the resources allocated.

Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether electrical showers are categorised as fixed installations under the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2002/96/EC amended by 2003/108/EC as transposed into UK regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The scope of the EC Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive has been problematic since its adoption at the end of 2002. There is no direct reference to an exemption for 'fixed installations' in the directive, but the European Commission's guidance does allow for one in its interpretation of Article 2.1.
	The Department's understanding is that a simple electric shower fitted into a bathroom as a discrete or stand-alone unit would not be regarded as a fixed installation and would, therefore, be caught within the scope of the Directive and UK Regulations. A power shower that has controls in the bathroom but a remote pump and/or water heater fitted elsewhere in the building would be regarded as part of a fixed installation and, therefore, outside scope.
	European negotiations on a recast of the original directive are underway and we are hoping for greater clarity on this and other scope issues once a new directive is agreed.

Enterprise Promotion

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage enterprise promotion activities in disadvantaged areas.

Mark Prisk: The Government are leading a series of measures which will promote enterprise and which will be of particular help to disadvantaged areas.
	In October 2010 the Government announced that the first Local Enterprise Partnerships were ready to move forward and establish their local enterprise partnership boards. The Partnerships will play a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/local/localenterprisepartnerships/
	In October 2010 the Government also launched the New Enterprise Allowance to support unemployed people to start their own business.
	The allowance is available to Jobseekers Allowance customers who have been claiming for 26 weeks or more. Participants have access to a volunteer business mentor to provide guidance and support as they develop their business plan and through the early months of trading. Once a customer can demonstrate they have a viable business proposition with the potential for growth in the future, they can access financial support.
	This will consist of:
	a weekly allowance worth £1,274 over 26 weeks, paid at £65 a week for the first 13 weeks and £33 a week for a further 13 weeks, and
	if they need start-up capital, they may also be able to access a loan up to £1,000 to help with their start-up costs.
	Details can be found at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/new-enterprise-allowance/
	In November 2010 the Government announced that we will remove barriers preventing social tenants from applying to start up a business based in their home and will work with social landlords to encourage their tenants to develop entrepreneurial skills.
	In July 2011 the Government announced the launch of a new mentoring scheme, developed in partnership with the private sector, to improve access to, and stimulate the demand for, mentoring. Developing and established businesses will now have access to more knowledge and support through a brand new web portal:
	www.mentorsme.co.uk

Environmental Protection

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress his Department has made on the green economy roadmap.

Mark Prisk: The green economy roadmap will now be published at the end of July. This Department has worked with the other lead Departments—Department of Energy and Climate Change and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs—to finalise the content and ensure it reflects the latest developments on major initiatives such as the Green Investment Bank and the energy market reforms package. The draft roadmap document has been discussed with a number of stakeholders, including business, and the Green Economy Council, to ensure we have a clear vision and coherent framework.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: Public Appointments

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the name is of each local enterprise partnership in respect of which approval of the board membership has been given; what the name is of each member of each such partnership representing (a) local authorities, (b) businesses and (c) higher education; what the name is of each partnership for which approval of board membership is pending; and what the name is of each partnership which is not in a position for board membership to be approved.

Mark Prisk: The information is as follows:
	Local enterprise partnership boards formally recognised by Government
	Information regarding board membership can be found on each partnership's website as follows:
	
		
			  Website 
			 The Black Country http://www.the-blackcountry.com/default.asp?PageID=287&n=Black+Countrv+LEP+Board 
			 Cheshire and Warrington http://www.cwea.org.uk/lep 
			 Coast to Capital http://www.coast2capital.org.uk/articles/the-board.html 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=24697 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire http://www.cwlep.com/Default.aspx?id=519359 
			 Cumbria http://www.cumbrialep.co.uk/boardprofiles.php 
			 Enterprise M3 http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/browse/business/business-support-and-advice/lep/ 
			 Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough http://www.yourlocalenterprisepartnership.co.uk/board 
			 Greater Manchester http://www.agma.gov.uk/local-enterprise-partnership/lep-update-apil-2011/index.html 
			 Leeds City Region http://www.leedscityregion.gov.uk/lepboard.htm 
			 Oxfordshire City Region http://www.oxfordshirelep.org.uk/wps/wcm/connect/micro/LEP/About/People/ 
			 Sheffield City Region http://www.sheffieldcityregion.org.uk/lepboard 
			 Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire(1) http://www.stokestaffslep.org.uk/a/ 
			 West of England http://www.westofenglandlep.co.uk/?p=33 
			 Worcestershire(2) http://www.worcestershirelep.org/board.aspx 
			 York and North Yorkshire http://www.ynylep.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=2 
			 (1) In addition to those listed on this page Paul Richards and Simon Morris share a seat and represent higher education. (2) Peter Pawsey, the LEP chair, is also part of the board but not listed on this page. 
		
	
	For the following two partnerships the board information is not available online:
	
		
			  Local authority representatives Business representatives Higher education representatives 
			 Greater Lincolnshire Eddy Poll Ursula Lidbetter (Chair) Mary Stuart 
			  Doreen Stephenson David Dexter  
		
	
	
		
			  Richard Wills Chris Baron  
			   Neil Corner  
			   Herman Kok  
			   Mark Tinsley  
			     
			 New Anglia Mark Bee Andy Wood (Chair) Edward Acton 
			  David Ellesmere Erika Clegg  
			  Derrick Murphy David Gledhill  
			  Alan Waters Mark Goodall  
			   Mark Jeffries  
			   David Marsh  
		
	
	Local enterprise partnerships with board approvals pending with the Government:
	Greater Birmingham and Solihull
	The Solent
	Local enterprise partnerships still developing their permanent boards:
	Derby Derbyshire Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
	Dorset
	Gloucestershire
	Heart of the South West
	Hertfordshire
	Hull and the Humber
	Kent, Greater Essex and East Sussex
	Lancashire
	Leicester and Leicestershire
	Liverpool City Region
	London
	The Marches
	North Eastern
	South East Midlands
	Tees Valley
	Thames Valley Berkshire

Military Aircraft: Exports

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions with other governments (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have had on the export of (i) Hawk Mk. 128 and (ii) Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 11 July 2011
	During a visit to Japan in June the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), discussed Typhoon with the Japanese Government. I was present with the Prime Minister on 28 July 2010 at the signing of the agreement to supply 57 Hawk trainer aircraft to India. Ministers from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, and from a range of other Departments, regularly discuss Typhoon and Hawk exports, as well as other defence and security export prospects with their counterparts overseas, and will continue to do so in line with this Government's commitment to promote responsible defence exports.

Pay

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what uses his Department has made of the annual survey of hours and earnings data produced by the Office for National Statistics in the last three years.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has used ASHE for analysis of the low paid and National Minimum Wage Policy. ASHE has also been used for briefing Ministers on levels of earnings, hours worked and gender pay differences.

THQ Digital Studios

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2011 to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, Official Report, columns 480-1W, on THQ, what discussions UK Trade and Investment officials have had with representatives of the video games industry on the closure of THQ's Warrington studios.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 6 July 2011
	No officials from UK Trade and Investment have had any discussions with representatives of the video games industry specifically regarding the closure of THQ's Warrington studios.
	UKTI and Department for Culture, Media and Sport officials have regular discussions regarding the state of the UK games industry with TIGA, the trade association representing the UK's games industry and the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), the UK's leading videogames trade body.

HEALTH

Abortion: Counselling

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  by what means he proposes to effect changes to the regulation of the provision of counselling for women seeking abortions;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely impact of preventing organisations which provide abortion services from providing pregnancy counselling services.

Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given on 6 July 2011, Official Report, column 1269W, to the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin).
	Detailed proposals on how independent abortion counselling might be implemented are still being worked up within the Department; this includes development of an impact assessment. An offer of independent counselling will be in addition to the assessment of whether there are grounds for an abortion under the Abortion Act 1967, as amended. All clinicians who provide abortion care should always undertake a discussion about the choices available to pregnant women and identify those who require more support in decision-making.

Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of cancer.

Paul Burstow: To reduce the incidence of cancer we will need to continue to tackle the risk factors. Many of these risk factors are rooted in lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, the harmful use of alcohol, drug misuse, poor diet and nutrition, being overweight and physically inactive.
	Last year, the Government published “Healthy Lives, Healthy People”, which set out our strategy for improving public health. This includes the establishment of a new, dedicated, professional public health service—Public Health England—which will be set up to take action to promote public health and to encourage behaviour change to help people live healthier lives.
	Following on from the public health White Paper, the Government published its Tobacco Control Plan, “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England” in March, which sets out how tobacco control will be delivered over the next five years. New United Kingdom-wide physical activity guidelines were launched on 11 July as part of a UK Chief Medical Officers' report which details the latest evidence on the physical activity required to achieve general health benefits and prevent diseases, including some cancers. We will be publishing a document on obesity shortly after the summer. It will set out how obesity will be tackled in the new public health and national health service systems and the role of key partners. An alcohol strategy will follow later this year.
	The NHS cervical screening programme continues to play an important role in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer in women. The programme prevents cervical cancers by detecting and treating abnormalities which, if left undetected and untreated, may develop into cancer. Experts estimate it saves up to 4,500 lives per year. As set out in “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer” (January 2011) we have committed to invest £60 million between 2011 and 2014 to incorporate flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) into the NHS bowel screening programme. New evidence has shown that a one-off FS screening test for bowel cancer at age 55 can reduce the incidence of bowel cancer in people attending screening by 33%. Experts estimate FS will save around 3,000 lives every year.

Cancer

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the national clinical audit recommended in Improving Outcomes: a Strategy for Cancer will be implemented; and when the results will be published.

Paul Burstow: The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), which works under contract to maintain and develop the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcome Programme, published a call for new national clinical audit topics in March 2011. The Department will consider the proposals received following advice from the National Clinical Audit Advisory Group. Further information on the call for new national clinical audits can be found on the HQIP website:
	www.hqip.org.uk/new-topic-proposals-for-national-clinical-audits-process-201/

Cancer: Drugs

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place for patients to continue to access medicines through the Cancer Drugs Fund once the present fund is exhausted.

Paul Burstow: We have committed £600 million to the Cancer Drugs Fund over the next three years which will help thousands more cancer patients access the drugs their clinicians believe will help them. This is a significant injection of funding for additional cancer drugs. Strategic health authorities and their clinical panels are responsible for ensuring that this additional funding is employed to best effect, and should take account of the likely costs of future treatment in their planning.

Cancer: Drugs

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the transfer of funding supplied through the Cancer Drugs Fund between regions.

Paul Burstow: We expect regional strategic health authority (SHA) clinical panels to plan according to their allocated shares of the available funding. The Department will monitor SHA spend from the Cancer Drugs Fund and transfers between SHAs can be considered if a good reason arises.

Cerebral Palsy: Medical Treatments

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people have been treated by the NHS for cerebral palsy selective dorsal rhizotomy in the last three years;
	(2)  how many people have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy selective dorsal rhizotomy in the last three years;
	(3)  if he will make available on the NHS in England a treatment for cerebral palsy selective dorsal rhizotomy similar to that available in the US.

Paul Burstow: Information on the number of people diagnosed, and treated, for cerebral palsy selective dorsal rhizotomy is not collected centrally.
	In December 2010, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence revised their existing guidance on selective dorsal rhizotomy because they now had a greater evidence base regarding its safety and efficacy. They recommend that the operation can improve the comfort and mobility of some people who have cerebral palsy. However, the operation still carries some serious risks and is not a cure for spasticity. Funding for this procedure is a matter for local health bodies.

Dementia

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diagnoses of dementia there were in each of the last three years.

Paul Burstow: Data on new diagnoses of dementia are not collected. However, the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) collects each year the number of patients on the dementia register in general practices. The figures for the latest three years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number on dementia register 
			 2007-08 220,246 
			 2008-09 232,430 
			 2009-10 249,463 
			 Note: Coverage of QOF—Patients will only contribute to the figures in QOF if they are registered with a general practice participating in QOF. 
		
	
	We believe however that these figures underestimate the actual number of people in England who have dementia and it is estimated that approximately 650,000 people in England have the condition. Because of this level of under-diagnosis, one of the Government's priority objectives in implementing the National Dementia Strategy is increasing the early diagnosis of dementia.

Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he has issued any guidance on the generation of low-carbon energy on estates owned by (a) his Department and (b) the NHS;
	(2)  if he will explore the feasibility of low-carbon energy generation on his estate.

Simon Burns: The Department has not issued any specific guidance on the generation of low-carbon energy on estates owned by the Department, although guidance is received from the Carbon Trust though the Carbon Management Programme.
	The Department has issued “Health Technical Memorandum 07-02 Encode, making energy work in healthcare” and “HTM 07-07 Sustainable Health and Social Care Buildings”, which have been placed in the Library. Both documents encourage the national health service to consider a wide range of low-carbon energy opportunities. The NHS also takes guidance from the Carbon Trust through the Carbon Management Programme and is further informed through the NHS Sustainable Development Unit, which is supported by the Department.
	The Department will look to explore the feasibility of low-carbon energy generation on its estate in this financial year.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regulations his Department has introduced (a) in the six months prior to 1 September 2010 and (b) in the six months after 1 September 2010 which it has determined do not impose costs on businesses.

Simon Burns: In the six months prior to 1 September 2010, no regulations were introduced by the Department which impact on businesses.
	In the six months after 1 September 2010, two regulations Care Quality Commission registration and Health service Branded Medicines have been introduced which do not impose a cost on businesses.
	The Government's policy is to consider alternatives to regulation. A list of regulatory measures introduced in the first half of 2011 that impact business can be found in the Statement of New Regulation, which has already been placed in the Library.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department has (a) introduced and (b) removed since 1 September 2010; what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was; and what regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address (i) emergencies and (ii) systemic financial risks since 1 September 2010.

Simon Burns: In the period from September 2010 to December 2010 no regulations were introduced or removed by the Department that impact on business. A list of regulatory measures that impact on business that were introduced or removed in the first half of 2011 can be found in the Statement of New Regulation, which has already been placed in the Library,
	The one-in one-out regulatory management system, although announced in September, did not come into force until January 2011.
	No regulations have been excluded from the one-in one-out system because they address emergencies and systemic financial risks.

Business Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regulations that impose costs on businesses his Department (a) introduced and (b) removed in the six months prior to 1 September 2010; and what the net effect on the costs on businesses of such introductions and removals was.

Simon Burns: In the six months prior to 1 September 2010, no regulations were introduced or removed that impose costs on businesses.

General Practitioners: Devon

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs there are per head of population in (a) Devon and (b) Newton Abbot constituency.

Simon Burns: Information about the number of general practitioners (GPs) at a constituency level is not held by the Department. The Department holds information about GP numbers at primary care trust (PCT) and care trust level. The data for the three such trusts in Devon are in the following table.
	
		
			 Number of GPs in Devon 
			  All GPs (excluding retainers and registrars) headcount (1) All GPs (excluding retainers and registrars) headcount per 100,000 population 
			 Total Devon(2) 917 80.6 
			 Of which:   
			 Devon PCT(2) 621 83.1 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 196 76.4 
			 Torbay Care Trust 100 74.6 
			 (1) The new headcount methodology for 2010 data are not fully comparable with previous years data due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. (2) The area of Devon is serviced by Devon PCT, Plymouth PCT and Torbay PCT. A sub-total of the three PCTs has been provided. GP workforce data are not available at constituency level. In England, only local PCTs and Strategic Health Authorities. Newton Abbot is contained within and serviced by Devon PCT. Notes: 1. Data as at 30 September 2010. 2. GP per head of population figures have been calculated using Office for National Statistic resident population estimates. Data Quality: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Sources: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics Office for National Statistics, 2009 Final Mid-Year Population Estimates (2001 census based), Adjusted May 2010 to reflect revisions to migration methodology

Health Services

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to mandate a timetable for the formation of clinical senates and specialist commissioning networks.

Simon Burns: The Government's response to the NHS Future Forum report set out a revised timetable for changes in the national health service, recognising the need for flexibility in transitioning to the new system.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will be established formally by October 2012 with a limited set of functions, in order to start considering applications for authorisation from clinical commissioning groups. By April 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board will have taken on its full responsibilities, and general practitioner practices will be members of either an authorised clinical commissioning group, or a 'shadow' commissioning group (one that is legally established but operating only in shadow form, with the NHS Commissioning Board commissioning on its behalf).
	Clinical commissioning groups will receive expert support and advice from clinical networks and senates on the design and delivery of services, in order to provide the best care and outcomes for patients. The NHS Commissioning Board will work with stakeholders and the NHS Future Forum on the detailed design of clinical senates and networks, and we will publish further details in due course.

NHS Debt: Greater London

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) debt and (b) revenue budget balance has been of each NHS hospital trust in greater London in each of the last four years.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not available in the format requested.
	The following tables show:
	(a) the total amount owed by national health service trusts in London in respect of bank overdrafts, current and long term loans, obligations under finance leases and private finance initiative arrangements for each financial year 2007-10; and
	(b) the revenue budget balance (surplus/operating deficit) of each NHS hospital trust in London for each financial year 2007- 11.
	
		
			 NHS hospital trust debt as at 31 March 2007-10 
			 £000 
			 Organisation 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 0 0 0 269,040 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 55,144 52,975 49,565 48,972 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 12,151 
			 Barts and The London NHS Trust 7,218 6,766 5,845 170,458 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 112,814 111,873 110,858 n/a 
			 Camden and Islington Mental Health Social Care NHS Trust 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Central and North West London MH NHS Trust 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 220 
			 East London and the City MH NHS Trust 0 0 n/a n/a 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 14,000 9,334 4,816 1,782 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 0 0 0 24,000 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 0 139 0 34,448 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 75 1,513 118 34,381 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 11,000 7,334 3,668 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 36,604 
			 North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 n/a 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 15,000 12,000 9,000 6,399 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 23,830 19,064 14,298 82,462 
			 Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 n/a 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 6,112 6,112 6,110 n/a 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 6,176 5,996 5,816 7,069 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a 234,072 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 34,000 31,972 23,978 71,635 
		
	
	
		
			 St Mary's NHS Trust 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust 0 n/a n/a n/a 
			 The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 20,337 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 55,971 
			 The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 0 2,100 0 1,268 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 0 0 0 0 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 0 0 15,800 57,364 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 43,185 32,071 28,704 24,248 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 0 0 0 40,802 
			 Note: ‘Debt’ can be interpreted in a number of ways in relation to the finances of NHS trusts. We have interpreted ‘debt’ to mean the total amount reported by each NHS trust in their balance sheet in respect of bank overdrafts, loans, finance leases and Private finance initiative arrangements. These are the items most readily identified with the term ‘debt’ in accounting terminology. Source: Department of Health audited summarisation schedules, 2006-07 to 2009-10 
		
	
	
		
			 The revenue budget balance (surplus/operating deficit) of each NHS hospital trust in London for each financial year 2007-11 
			 £000 
			 Organisation code Trust name 2007-08 annual accounts surplus/ (deficit) 2 008-09 annual accounts surplus/  (operating deficit) 2009-10 annual accounts surplus  (operating deficit) 2 010-11 annual accounts surplus/  (operating deficit) 
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust (35,621) (26,214) (22,309) (32,986) 
			 RVL Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 2,611 155 5,069 3,154 
			 RRP Barnet. Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 2,014 40 239 274 
			 RNJ Barts and The London NHS Trust 16,416 10,502 11,423 6,012 
			 RG3 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust (17,920) (4,434) n/a n/a 
			 TAF Camden and Islington Mental Health Social Care NHS Trust(1) 2,595 n/a n/a n/a 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust(2) 850 n/a n/a n/a 
			 RYX Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust(3) n/a n/a n/a 2,198 
			 RC3 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 1,135 2,125 36 28 
			 RWK East London and the City Mental Health NHS Trust(4) 10,428 n/a n/a n/a 
			 RVR Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 827 4,902 2,877 3,332 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust 6,956 5,889 7,368 8,617 
			 RYJ Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust(5) 12,750 12,025 9,102 5,146 
			 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 2,713 807 2,412 2,724 
			 RRU London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 398 725 1,425 1,002 
			 RJ6 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust(6) 5,044 2,149 1,106 4,913 
			 RNH Newham University Hospital NHS Trust (2,269) 201 55 (7,913) 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust(7) 2,136 379 n/a n/a 
			 RAP North Middlesex University Hospitals NHS Trust 3,019 5,031 6,044 3,103 
			 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 1,030 1,327 (8,025) 258 
			 RG2 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust (3,125) (5,481) n/a n/a 
			 RGZ Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust (2,877) (10,991) n/a n/a 
			 RT3 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust(8) 3,566 3,173 547 n/a 
			 RAL Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 10,724 3,791 2,035 6,587 
			 RYQ South London Healthcare NHS Trust(9) n/a n/a (42,067) (40,865) 
		
	
	
		
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 1,738 1,716 2,286 2,579 
			 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 5,972 1,718 12,933 6,459 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 6,263 2,509 258 307 
			 RJ2 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 3,771 301 6,753 1,058 
			 RAN The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 1,109 483 1,026 (911) 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 2,279 352 1,167 3,970 
			 RFW West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 19 (3,486) (4,996) 214 
			 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospitals NHS Trust 828 1,710 229 395 
			 RKE Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 1,421 2,045 139 508 
			 (1) Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care NHS Trust achieved Foundation Trust status on 1 March 2008. (2) Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust achieved Foundation Trust status on 1 May 2007. (3) Rebranding of Central West London Community Services to Central London Community Healthcare completed in July 2009. Central London Community Healthcare NHS (RYX) was established on 1 November 2010. (4) East London and the City Mental Health NHS Trust achieved Foundation Trust status on 1 November 2007. (5) Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust was formed from St Mary's NHS Trust and Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust. (6) Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust has changed its name to Croydon Health Services NHS Trust (RJ6) on the 1 October 2010. (7) North East London Mental Health NHS Trust achieved Foundation Trust status on 1 June 2008. (8) Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust achieved Foundation Trust status on 1 June 2009. (9) South London Healthcare Trust was formed from the merger of Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust (RG2), Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust (RG3), and Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust (RGZ). Note: The 2010-11 figures for South London Healthcare NHS Trust are based on their Draft accounts. Source: NHS Final Accounts, NHS Financial Controller's Office—Department of Health

Health Services: Special Educational Needs

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means NHS commissioners will obtain expert advice and support from speech and language therapists to improve integration between provision of health services and education services for those with special educational needs.

Simon Burns: The Government want the full range of health and care professionals to be involved in the new commissioning arrangements, supporting the NHS Commissioning Board and clinical commissioning groups to design pathways of care and shape services. The Government's response to the NHS Future Forum report makes clear that they will strengthen existing duties on clinical commissioning groups to secure professional advice and ensure this advice is from a full range of health professionals where relevant. Clinical commissioning groups will also receive expert support and advice from clinical networks and senates on the design and delivery of services. Clinical networks and senates will have a wide range of multi-disciplinary input, including from allied health professionals, to support the better integration of services.
	Clinical commissioning groups will be supported and held to account by a national NHS Commissioning Board. Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for issuing guidance to commissioning groups on their duty to obtain appropriate professional advice, for example in relation to working with clinical networks and senates.

Hospital Admissions: Devon

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were admitted to (a) Newton Abbot Hospital, (b) Dawlish hospital and (c) Teignmouth hospital in the latest year for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: The Department is not able to provide data at hospital site level. The following table provides figures for activity provided by Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) within which Newton Abbot hospital, Dawlish hospital and Teignmouth hospital, and other hospitals are located. The England figure is provided for comparison.
	
		
			 Count of finished admission episodes (1)  for activity provided by Devon PCT and England 2009-10 
			  Number 
			 Activity provided by 5QQ Devon PCT 14,962 
			 England 14,537,712 
			 (1) Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Notes: 1. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. It should be noted that activity provided by Devon PCT is not the same as activity commissioned by this PCT. Activity provided by the PCT only covers in-patient activity in hospital beds owned by the PCT. 3. The latest published annual Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data are for 2009-10. 4. It should be noted that the number of finished admission episodes does not relate to people as an individual may have had more than one admission to hospital in a year. Source: HES, The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has undertaken on the spread of MRSA and C. difficile in hospitals; and what the findings of this research are.

Simon Burns: The Department funds, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Policy Research Programme (PRP), a range of research relevant to antibiotic resistant micro-organisms in health care settings, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile).
	For example, through the UK Clinical Research Collaboration Translational Infection Research Initiative, a group of researchers based at Oxford university have been working on establishing how revolutionary new technologies can be optimally integrated into microbiology research and service.
	Researchers have identified whole genome sequencing as an appropriate initial typing strategy for four pathogens, including MRSA and C. difficile. Translating this whole genome sequencing data to the investigation of pathogen infections has started to give rise to improved understanding of patterns of spread, mechanisms of resistance, evolution and basic biology.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility he has for contributing to Government action against human trafficking; and what recent action he has taken in this regard.

Anne Milton: There is a vital role for health services to play in identifying and responding to the needs of human trafficking victims. The Department of Health is therefore working with the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre and others, to improve the response from health services to victims of trafficking.
	The Department has allocated £80,000 to work with the Women's Health and Equality Consortium on a project to agree specific actions to promote greater awareness of human trafficking and provide health professionals with guidance on how to respond to victims appropriately. The project is due to commence in summer 2011. As part of this work, the Department is seeking to provide more health services/professionals with the training and skills to refer potential victims directly into the National Referral Mechanism. The Department has also recognised the need for better understanding of the issues around health and trafficking and has therefore invited bids for research in this area, due to commence in 2011. The Royal College of General Practitioners has also been commissioned to develop an e-learning course on violence against women and children which will include trafficking.

Medical Equipment

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are in place in the NHS to ascertain the professional skills and standards of surgical instrument contractors.

Simon Burns: No separate assessment is made of the professional skills of individuals employed by surgical instrument suppliers to the national health service.
	Manufacturers of surgical equipment must ensure that their devices meet the relevant safety, quality and performance requirements laid down in the European Union (EU) medical devices directive prior to placement on the United Kingdom market. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has a role in the surveillance and enforcement of the regulation of devices placed in the UK and will assess all allegations of non-compliance brought to its attention.
	A system is in place for the user reporting and assessment of incidents of device failures. In the event of evidence emerging that devices placed on the market are not compliant with the requirements of the directive, the MHRA has a range of powers and sanctions available under the Consumer Protection Act to deal with the problem.
	The NHS Supply Chain has set in place framework agreements for the supply of surgical instruments for use by the NHS. As part of these assessments, quality and price are taken into account and manufacturers will comply with legislation and regulatory requirements.

Mental Health

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that Public Health England takes account of the findings of his Department's mental health strategy with respect to linkages between mental health, well-being and employment.

Paul Burstow: Subject to the Health and Social Care Bill receiving Royal Assent, Public Health England will be an integrated public health delivery body that will support the delivery of public health services by providing information and scientific advice to local authorities and the national health service. It will be established on 1 April 2013. We will ensure that Public Health England will support the mental health strategy objectives by including improving mental health and well-being within its overarching functions.

Mental Health Strategy

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) speech and language therapists and (b) allied health professionals are to be represented on the ministerial advisory group for his Department's mental health strategy.

Paul Burstow: Allied health professions have representation on the ministerial advisory group for the mental health strategy through the Allied Health Professions Federation (AHPF). The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists is a member of the AHPF.

Health and Social Care

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there will be a person appointed to the NHS Commissioning Board who has a primary duty to promote integration across health and social care.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill published on 19 January 2011 sets out details about the membership of the NHS Commissioning Board. Sir David Nicholson published a document on 8 July 2011 entitled Developing the NHS Commissioning Board setting out further details about the design and operating model of the NHS Commissioning Board. A copy of the document has already been placed in the Library.
	The Board itself will determine its own appointments but will include people with a range of skills and experience covering both health and social care.

Health and Social Care

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to promote the integration of health and social care budgets.

Paul Burstow: Flexibilities in the National Health Service 2006 Act already support opportunities for integrated working by facilitating lead commissioning, integrated provision and pooled budgets.
	The Government have identified greater integration between health and social care as a key priority and has demonstrated its importance by the development of new and integrated health, social care and public health outcomes frameworks.
	Furthermore, in line with the recommendations of the NHS Future Forum, our proposed amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill will ensure, subject to parliamentary approval, that there will be a stronger duty on the NHS Commissioning Board, clinical commissioning groups, the Health and Wellbeing boards and monitor to encourage integrated working at all levels.
	Improving integration between health and social care will also be one of themes of the engagement exercise following on from the Government's response to the report of the Commission on the funding of care and support.

NHS: Charities

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill will provide greater opportunities for charitable providers to take on NHS services.

Simon Burns: The Government are committed to giving patients greater choice of any qualified provider and creating a fair playing field, in which the best providers (from whichever sector) flourish. We will make sure that what matters is the quality of care provided, not who owns the organisation providing it. Charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises will have the opportunity to offer services that, as well as achieving health and social care outcomes, can respond to clients' individual needs and provide real social value.
	Amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill will outlaw any policy to increase or decrease the market share of any particular sector of provider. As a result of the changes we have proposed, Monitor, the NHS Commissioning Board and the Secretary of State would not be able to exercise their functions for the purpose of increasing the market shares of any sector of provider.

NHS: Telephone Services

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of (a) GP surgeries, (b) hospitals and (c) dental practices in (i) England and (ii) Devon that operate 0844 or 0845 telephone numbers.

Simon Burns: The Department has made no assessment of the number of general practitioner surgeries, hospitals, or dental practices in England that use 0844 or 0845 numbers for patients seeking appointments.
	The Department issued guidance and directions to national health service bodies in December 2009 on the cost of telephone calls, which prohibit the use of telephone numbers that charge the patient more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the NHS. It is currently the responsibility of primary care trusts to ensure that local practices are compliant with the directions and guidance.

Prostate Cancer

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he gave to including indicators for better one and five year survival rates for prostate cancer in the NHS Outcomes Framework.

Paul Burstow: The NHS Outcomes Framework indicators were selected on the basis of trying to achieve a balanced, high-level set of outcome goals that signal improving quality across the breadth of services that the national health service provides. This was conducted through a full public consultation with stakeholders, and suggestions received were considered as part of this process.
	We considered indicators across a range of population groups and conditions, including cancer and its various types, and using a set of criteria assessed their suitability for inclusion in the framework. For this reason, it was not possible to include an indicator on survival from prostate cancer.
	In addition, ‘Improving Outcomes: a Strategy for Cancer’ sets out the Government's broader plans to improve outcomes for patients with all cancers, including those with prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the NHS Quality Standard for prostate cancer will be developed; and what relationship the standard will have with the revised National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines on prostate cancer.

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been commissioned to produce a Quality Standard for prostate cancer during the period 2011-12. NICE provides progress updates on its Quality Standard programme on its website:
	www.nice.org.uk/aboutnice/qualitystandards/qualitystandards.jsp
	NICE is undertaking a review to decide whether the prostate cancer clinical guideline should be updated and will make appropriate links with the development of the Quality Standard should they decide to do so.

Tuberculosis

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps is he taking to stop the spread of tuberculosis; and what assessment he has made of the contribution of border controls to reduce the spread of the disease.

Anne Milton: The Department and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence have published guidance to support the national health service in commissioning and providing effective services to prevent, diagnose and treat tuberculosis (TB).
	In addition, the Department is funding TB Alert to raise awareness among groups at risk of TB and among primary care workers.
	We expect NHS organisations and their partners to ensure early detection, treatment completion and co-ordinated action to prevent and control TB.
	The UK Border Agency is currently reviewing the existing TB screening arrangements for migrants with support from the Department and the Health Protection Agency.